READINGS 


FOR   EVERY   DAY  IN   LENT 


READI]^GS 


FOB 


EVERY   DAY   IN    LENT. 


COMPILED  FEOM  THE  "TOjTINGS  OF  BISHOP 
JEEEMY  TAYLOR. 


BY 

THE  AUTHOR  OF    "AMY  HERBERT,"    "THE  CHILD* 8  FIRST  HISTORY 
OF   ROME,"    ETC. 


H.    B.    DURAND,    No.   11    BIBLE    HOUSE. 
1867. 


PREFACE. 


The  following  pages  have  been  compiled  prin- 
cipally for  the  use  of  those  young  persons  who 
are  not  likely  to  be  well  acquainted  with  the 
voluminous  works  of  Bishop  Taylor. 

The  subjects  selected  have  been  such  as 
seemed  naturally  to  lead  from  Eepentance  and 
Self-examination  to  growth  in  Grace  and  Chris- 
tian Perfection  ;  the  Sunday  meditations  being 
of  a  different  kind,  and  connected  with  events 
in  the  Life  of  our  Blessed  Lord.  Yery  little  has 
been  taken  either  from  the  "  Golden  Grove  "  or 
the  "Holy  Living  and  Dying;"  those  works 
being  generally  well  known. 

The  endeavor  to  concentrate  our  thoughts 
upon  some  definite  subject  can  scarcely,  at  any 
time,  be  made  without  profit ;  and  it  is  humbly 
trusted,  that  those  who  may  strive  with  prayer 


6  PREFACE. 

and  earnest  purpose  of  heart  to  fix  in  their 
minds  the  ideas  suggested  for  each  day,  during 
the  coming  season  of  Lent,  will  find  themselves, 
at  the  close  of  it,  better  enabled  to  live  accord- 
ing to  the  measures  of  that  "  Faith  which  is  a 
certain  image  of  Eternity,  which  beholds  Heaven 
at  present,  and  sees  how  blessed  a  thing  it  is  to 
die  in  God's  favor,  and  to  be  chimed  to  our 
grave  with  the  music  of  a  good  conscience."* 

*  Bp.  Taylor's  Sermon  on  the  Flesh  and  the  Spirit. 
Feb.  Ist,  1851. 


READINGS  FOR   LENT. 


ASH-WEDNESDAY. 

REPENTANCE. 

'*  Bring  forth  therefore  fruits  meet  for  repentance." 
Matt.  iii.  8. 

Fkom  the  beginning  of  time  till  now,  all  things 
which  have  come  from  God  have  been  nothing 
but  emanations  of  His  goodness,  clothed  in  vari- 
ety of  circumstances.  He  causes  us  to  be  born, 
that  we  may  be  capable  of  His  blessings;  He 
causes  us  to  be  baptized,  that  we  may  have  a  title 
to  the  glorious  promises  evangelical ;  He  gives 
us  His  Son,  that  we  may  be  rescued  from  hell; 
and  since  the  best  of  men,  in  the  midst  of  all  the 
great  advantages  of  laws,  and  examples,  and 
promises,  and  threatenings,  does  many  things  he 
ought  to  be  ashamed  of,  and  needs  to  repent  of, 
the  very  design  of  our  birth  and  education  in  the 
Christian  religion  is,  that  we  may  recover  of  and 
cure  our  follies  by  the  antidote  of  repentance. 

To  have  our  infirmities  excused  and  our  sins 
forgiven,  oui*  habits  lessened   and  our  malice 


8  ASH-WEDNESDAY. 

cured,  after  we  were  wounded,  and  sick,  and 
dead,  and  buried,  and  in  the  possession  of  the 
devil ;  this  was  such  a  blessing,  so  great  riches  of 
the  Divine  goodness,  that  it  was  taught  to  no 
religion  but  the  Christian — revealed  bj  no  law- 
giver but  Christ. 

It  is  the  greatest  and  the  dearest  blessing  that 
ever  God  gave  to  men,  that  they  may  repent ; 
and  therefore  to  deny  it,  or  delay  it,  is  to  refuse 
health  brought  us  by  the  skill  and  industry  of 
the  physician ;  it  is  to  refuse  liberty  indulged  to 
us  by  our  gracious  Lord. 

The  duty  of  repentance  is  indispensably  re- 
quired in  the  danger  of  death ;  and  he  that  does 
not  repent  when  he  is  arrested  with  the  proba- 
bility of  so  sad  a  change,  is  uncharitable  to  him- 
self, and  a  murderer  of  his  own  soul.  But  so  is 
he,  in  his  proportion,  who  puts  it  off  one  day; 
because  every  day  of  delay  is  a  day  of  danger ; 
and,  certainly,  it  was  none  of  the  least  reasons 
of  God's  concealing  the  day  of  our  death,  that 
we  might  ever  stand  ready.  This  is  plainly 
enough  taught  us  by  our  blessed  Saviour,  la- 
boriously persuading  and  commanding  us  not  to 
defer  our  repentance,  by  His  parable  of  the  rich 
man,  who  promised  to  himself  the  j)leasures  of 
many  years.  He  reproved  that  folly  with,  a 
"  Fool,  this  night  thy  soul  shall  be  required  of 
thee." 

And  it  may  be  any  man's  case. 


REPENTANCE.  9 

Think  it  not,  therefore,  a  hasty  command- 
ment, that  we  are  called  upon  to  repent  to-day. 
It  was  too  much  that  yesterday  passed  by  you : 
it  is  late  enough,  if  you  do  it  to-day. 

Nothing,  indeed,  hath  made  more  ample  har- 
vests for  the  devil,  than  the  deferring  of  repent- 
ance upon  vain  confidences,  while  we  imagine 
that  a  few  tears,  and  scatterings  of  devotion,  are 
enough  to  expiate  the  baseness  of  a  long  impiety. 
But  repentance  implies  in  it  the  duty  of  a  life, 
or  of  many  and  great,  of  long  and  lasting  parts 
of  it.  It  implies  a  deep  sorrow  as  the  beginning 
and  introduction  of  this  duty.  !N'ot  a  superficial 
sigh,  or  tear;  not  a  calling  ourselves  sinners  and 
miserable  persons:  but  a  hearty,  pungent  sor- 
row ;  a  sorrow  that  shall  so  irreconcile  us  to  sin, 
as  to  make  us  rather  choose  to  die  than  to  sin. 

For  repentance  is  a  great  volume  of  duty,  and 
godly  sorrow  is  but  the  frontispiece,  or  title- 
page  ;  it  is  the  harbinger  or  first  introduction  to 
it ;  or,  if  you  will  consider  it  in  the  words  of  St. 
Paul,  "  Godly  sorrow  worketh  repentance."  Sor- 
row is  the  parent,  and  repentance  is  the  product. 
Ahab  had  a  great  sorrow ;  but  it  wrought  noth- 
ing upon  his  spirit;  it  did  not  reconcile  his  affec- 
tions to  his  duty,  and  his  duty  to  God.  Judas 
had  so  great  a  sorrow  for  betraying  the  innocent 
blood  of  his  Lord  that  it  was  intolerable  to  his 
spirit,  and  he  "burst  asunder  in  the  middle." 
And  if  mere  sorrow  be  repentance,  then  hell  is 


10  ASH- WEDNESDAY. 

full  of  penitents ;  for  there  is  weeping,  and  wail- 
ing, and  gnashing  of  teeth,  for  evermore. 

Let  us,  therefore,  beg  of  God,  as  Caleb's  daugh- 
ter did  of  her  father,  "  Thou  hast  given  me  a  dry- 
land, give  me  also  a  land  of  waters,  a  dwelling- 
place  in  tears,  rivers  of  tears."  "  That,"  as  St. 
Austin's  expression  is,  "because  we  are  not 
worthy  to  lift  up  our  eyes  to  heaven  in  prayer, 
yet  we  may  be  worthy  to  weep  ourselves  blind 
for  sin."  The  meaning  is,  that  we  beg  sorrow 
of  God ;  such  a  sorrow  as  shall  be  an  effective 
principle  of  arming  all  our  faculties  against  sin, 
and  heartily  setting  upon  the  work  of  grace,  and 
the  persevering  labors  of  a  holy  life.  I  shall 
only  add  one  word  to  this :  that  our  sorrow  for 
sin  is  not  to  be  estimated  by  our  tears  and  our 
sensible  expressions,  but  by  our  active  hatred 
and  dereliction  of  sin ;  and  is  many  times  nnper- 
ceived  in  outward  demonstration. 

Let  us  remember,  besides,  that  repentance  is 
not  only  an  abolition  and  extinction  of  the  body 
of  sin,  a  bringing  it  to  the  altar,  and  slaying  it 
before  God  and  all  the  people;  but  we  must 
also  "  mingle  gold  and  rich  presents,"  the  obla- 
tion of  good  works  and  holy  habits,  with  the 
sacrifice. 

In  Ezekiel  xviii.  21,  you  shall  find  it  thus 
described;  "But  if  the  wicked  will  turn  from 
all  his  sins  that  he  hath  committed,  and  keep  all 
My  statutes,  and  do  that  which  is  lawful  and 


REPENTANCE.  11 

right,  he  shall  surely  live — he  shall  not  die." 
Or,  as  it  is  more  fully  described  in  Ezekiel 
xxxiii.  14,  15:  ''When  I  say  unto  the  wicked, 
thou  slialt  surely  die ;  if  he  turn  from  his  sin, 
and  do  that  which  is  lawful  and  right ;  if  the 
wicked  restore  the  pledge,  give  again  that  he 
hath  robbed,  walk  in  the  statutes  of  life  without 
committing  iniquity ;  he  shall  surely  live,  he 
shall  not  die."  Here  only  is  the  condition  of 
pardon ;  to  leave  all  your  sins,  to  keep  all  God's 
statutes,  to  walk  in  them — to  abide,  to  proceed, 
and  make  progress  in  them ;  and  this  without 
the  interruption  of  a  deadly  sin,  "  without  com- 
mitting iniquity." 

JSTeither  is  the  duty  of  repentance  to  be  bought 
at  an  easier  rate  in  the  "New  Testament.  You 
may  see  it  described  in  2  Cor.  vii.  10, 11 :  "  God 
ly  sorrow  worketh  repentance."  Well,  but  what 
is  that  repentance  which  is  so  wrought?  This 
it  is :  "  Behold  this  selfsame  thing,  that  ye  sor- 
rowed after  a  godly  sort,  what  carefulness  it 
wrought  in  you,  yea,  what  clearing  of  your- 
selves, yea,  what  indignation,  yea,  what  fear, 
yea,  what  vehement  desire,  yea,  what  zeal,  yea, 
what  revenge  !"  These  are  the  fruits  of  that 
sorrow  that  is  effectual :  these  are  the  parts  of 
repentance :  "  clearing  ourselves,"  of  all  that  is 
past,  and  great  carefulness  for  the  future ;  "  an- 
ger" at  ourselves  for  our  old  sins,  and  "fear" 
lest  we  commit  the  like  again ;  "  vehement  de- 


12  ASH- WEDNESDAY. 

sire"  of  pleasing  God,  and  "zeal"  of  holj  ac- 
tions; and  a  "revenge  upon  ourselves  for  our 
sins,"  called  by  St.  Paul,  in  another  place,  "  a 
judging  ourselves,  lest  we  be  judged  of  the 
Lord." 

Since  then  repentance  is  a  duty  of  so  great 
and  giant-like  bulk,  let  no  man  crowd  it  up  into 
so  narrow  room,  as  that  it-be  strangled  in  its 
birth,  for  want  of  time  and  air  to  breathe  in. 

A  child,  who  hath  a  great  way  to  go  before 
he  be  wise,  may  defer  his  studies,  and  hope  to 
become  learned  in  his  old  age,  and  upon  his 
death-bed;  as  well  as  a  vicious  person  may  think 
to  recover  from  all  his  ignorances,  from  all  his 
false  principles  and  evil  customs,  from  his  wick- 
ed inclinations  and  ungodly  habits,  from  his 
fondnesses  of  vice  and  detestations  of  virtue, 
upon  his  death-bed  (I  say),  when  he  hath  no 
natural  strength,  and  as  little  spiritual;  when 
he  is  criminal  and  impotent,  hardened  in  his 
vice  and  soft  in  his  fears;  when  he  is  sick  and 
amazed,  and  timorous  and  confounded,  and  im- 
patient, and  extremely  miserable. 

And  it  will  be  a  vain  question  to  ask  :  Must 
a  man  repent  a  year  or  two,  or  seven  years,  or 
ten,  or  twenty,  before  his  death  ?  Or  what  is 
the  last  period  after  which  all  repentance  will 
be  untimely  and  ineffectual?  To  this  captious 
question  I  have  many  things  to  oppose. 

1st.  We  have  entered  into  covenant  with  God, 


REPENTANCE.  13 

to  serve  Him  from  the  daj  of  our  baptism  to 
the  day  of  our  death.  He  hath  "  sworn  this 
oath  to  us,  that  He  would  grant  unto  us,  that 
we  being  delivered  from  fear  of  our  enemies, 
might  serve  Him  without  fear,  in  holiness  and 
righteousness  before  Him,  all  the  days  of  our 
life."  Now,  although  God  will  not  forget  our 
infirmities,  but  pass  by  the  nakedness  of  au 
honest,  a  watchful,  and  industrious  person ;  yet 
the  covenant  He  makes  with  us,  is  from  the  day 
of  our  first  voluntary  profession  to  our  grave ; 
^and  according  as  we  by  sins  retire  from  our  first 
undertaking,  so  our  condition  is  insecure. 

2d.  Scripture,  describing  the  duty  of  repent- 
ing sinners,  names  no  other  time  but  "  to-day :" 
"  To-day^  if  ye  will  hear  His  voice,  harden  not 
your  hearts." 

3d.  The  duty  of  a  Christian  is  described  in 
Scripture  to  be  such  as  requires  length  of  time 
and  a  continual  industry.  "Let  us  run  with 
patience  the  race  that  is  set  before  us;"  and 
"  consider  Him  that  endured  such  contradiction 
of  sinners  against  Himself,  lest  ye  be  wearied 
and  faint  in  your  minds."  So  great  a  prepara- 
tion is  not  for  the  agony  and  contention  of  an 
hour,  or  a  day,  or  a  week ;  but  for  the  whole 
life  of  a  Christian,  or  for  great  parts  of  its  abode. 

He  that  lives  well  from  his  younger  years, 
and  enters  into  the  courses  of  a  sober  life  early, 
diligently,  and   vigorously,  shall  find  himself, 


14  ASH-WEDNESDAY. 

after  the  studies  and  labors  of  twenty  or  thirty 
years'  piety,  but  a  very  imperfect  person  ;  many 
degrees  of  pride  left  unrooted  up,  much  indevo- 
tion  and  backwardness  in  religion,  many  temp- 
tations to  contest  against,  and  some  infirmities 
which  he  shall  never  say  he  hath  mastered. 
And  if  we  do  but  consider  this,  we  shall  find 
the  work  of  a  holy  life  is  not  to  be  deferred  till 
our  days  are  almost  done,  till  our  strengths  are 
decayed,  our  spirits  are  weak,  and  our  habits 
confirmed.  For  what  is  very  hard  to  be  done, 
and  is  always  done  imperfectly,  when  there  is 
length  of  time,  and  a  less  work  to  do,  and  more 
abilities  to  do  it  withal ;  when  the  time  is  short, 
and  almost  expired,  and  the  work  made  difiicult 
and  vast,  and  the  strength  weaker,  and  the 
faculties  are  disabled,  will  seem  little  less  than 
absolutely  impossible. 

I  shall  end  this  general  consideration  with  the 
•question  of  the  Apostle :  "  If  the  righteous 
scarcely  be  saved," — if  it  be  so  difiicult  to  over- 
come our  sins,  and  obtain  virtuous  habits — diffi- 
cult, I  say,  to  a  righteous,  a  sober,  and  well- 
living  person, — "where  shall  the  ungodly  and 
the  sinner  appear  ?" 

He  that  hath  lived  in  sin  will  die  in  sorrow. 


EEPENTANCE.  15 


PRAYER. 

O  Almiglit.j  God,  Father  of  Mercies,  Judge 
of  all  the  world,  who  hast  in  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  established  the  covenant  of  repentance, 
and  promised  pardon  to  all  of  them  that  confess 
their  sins  and  forsake  them,  be  pleased  to  work 
in  me  what  Thou  hast  commanded  should  be  in 
me.  Give  me,  O  Lord,  the  grace  of  an  earnest 
sorrow — turn  my  sin  into  repentance,  and  let 
my  repentance  proceed  to  pardon;  and  teach 
me  so  diligently  to  watch  over  all  my  actions 
that  I  may  never  transgress  Thy  holy  laws  wil- 
lingly, but  that  it  may  be  the  Avork  of  my  life 
to  obey  Thee,  the  joy  of  my  soul  to  please  Thee, 
and  the  perfection  of  my  desires  to  live  with 
Thee  in  the  kingdom  of  Thy  grace  and  glory, 
through  Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord.     Amen. 


FIRST  THURSDAY  IN"  LEKT. 

GODLY  FEAR. 

*'  Let  us  have  grace,  whereby  we  may  serve  God  acceptably  with 
reverence  and  godly  fear ;  for  our  God  is  a  consuming  fire." 

Heb.  xii.  28,  29. 

"  Our  God  is  a  consuming  fire."  He  was  so 
to  them  tliat  brake  the  law,  but  He  will  be 
much  more  to  them  that  disobey  His  Son.  He 
made  great  changes  then ;  but  those  which  re- 
main are  far  greater,  and  His  terrors  are  infi- 
nitely more  intolerable  ;  and  therefore,  although 
Christ  came  not  in  the  spirit  of  Elias,  but  with 
meekness  and  gentle  insinuations,  soft  as  the 
breath  of  heaven,  not  willing  to  disturb  the  soft- 
est stalk  of  a  violet,  yet  His  second  coming  shall 
be  with  terrors  such  as  shall  amaze  all  the  world, 
and  dissolve  it  into  ruin  and  a  chaos. 

The  effects  of  this  consideration  are  reverence 
and  godly  fear.  They  are  the  duties  of  every 
Christian :  they  are  the  graces  of  God. 

I  shall  not  here  insist  upon  the  general  rea- 
sons of  fear  which  concern  every  man,  though 
it  may  be  most  certain  that  every  one  hath 
cause  to  fear,  even  the  most  confident  and  holy ; 


GODLY   FEAR.  IT 

because  his  way  is  dangerous  and  narrow, 
troublesome  and  uneven,  full  of  ambushes  and 
pitfalls ;  and  I  remember  what  Polynices  said, 
in  the  tragedy,  when  he  was  unjustly  thrown 
from  his  father's  kingdom,  and  refused  to  treat 
of  peace  but  with  a  sword  in  his  hand — "  Every 
step  is  a  danger  for  a  valiant  man,  when  he 
walks  in  his  enemy's  country."  And  so  it  is 
with  us ;  we  are  espied  by  God  and  observed  by 
angels;  we  are  betrayed  within  and  assaulted 
without;  the  devil  is  our  enemy,  and  we  are 
fond  of  his  mischiefs ;  he  is  crafty,  and  we  love 
to  be  abused ;  he  is  malicious,  and  we  are  cred- 
ulous ;  he  is  powerful,  and  we  are  weak ;  he  is 
too  ready  of  himself,  and  yet  we  desire  to  be 
tempted ;  the  world  is  alluring,  and  we  consider 
not  its  vanity;  sin  puts  on  all  pleasures,  and 
yet  we  take  it  though  it  puts  us  to  pain.  In 
short,  we  are  vain  and  credulous,  and  sensual 
and  trifling;  we  are  tempted  and  tempt  our- 
selves, and  we  sin  frequently  and  contract  evil 
habits,  and  they  become  second  natures  and 
bring  in  a  second  death,  miserable  and  eternal. 
Every  man  hath  need  to  fear,  because  every 
man  hath  weakness,  and  enemies,  and  tempta- 
tions, and  dangers,  and  causes  of  his  own.  But 
I  shall  only  instance  some  peculiar  sorts  of  men, 
who,  it  may  be,  least  think  of  it,  and  therefore 
have  most  cause  to  fear. 

Fii*8t  are  those  of  whom  the  Apostle  speaks : 


18  FIKST   THUKSDAT   IN   LENT. 

"  Let  him  that  thinketh  lie  standeth  take  lieeJ 
lest  be  fall."  In  persons  of  ordinary,  even 
course  of  life,  we  find  in  it  too  often  that  they 
have  no  checks  of  conscience,  or  sharp  reflec- 
tions upon  their  condition.  They  fall  into  no 
horrid  crimes,  and  they  think  all  is  peace  round 
about  them.  But  you  must  know,  that  as  grace 
is  the  improvement  and  bettering  of  nature,  so 
it  grows  in  natural  measures  by  supernatural 
aids.  It  hath  its  degrees,  its  strengths  and 
weaknesses,  its  promotions  and  arrests,  its  sta- 
tions and  declensions,  its  direct  sicknesses  and 
indispositions.  And  there  is  a  state  of  grace 
that  is  next  to  sin.  It  inclines  to  evil,  and 
dwells  with  a  temptation  ;  its  acts  are  imperfect, 
and  the  man  is  within  the  kingdom,  but  he  lives 
in  its  borders.  These  men  have  cause  to  fear, 
Tliese  men  seem  to  stand,  but  they  reel  indeed, 
and  decline  towards  danger  and  death.  "Let 
these  men  (saith  the  Apostle)  take  heed  lest 
they  fall,"  for  they  shake  already.  Such  are 
persons  whom  the  Scriptures  call  "weak  in 
faith."  I  do  not  mean  new-beginners  in  reli- 
gion, but  such  who  have  dwelt  long  in  its  con- 
fines, and  yet  never  enter  into  the  heart  of  the 
country ;  such  whose  faith  is  tempted,  whose 
piety  does  not  grow ;  such  who  yield  a  little ; 
people  that  do  all  they  can  lawfully  do,  and 
study  how  much  is  lawful,  that  they  may  lose 
nothing  of  a  temporal  interest ;  people  that  will 


GODLY   FEAR.  19 

not  be  martyrs  in  any  degree,  and  yet  have 
good  affections ;  and  love  the  cause  of  religion, 
and  yet  will  suffer  nothing  for  it.  These  are 
such  of  which  the  Apostle  speaks :  "  They  think 
they  stand ;"  and  so  they  do,  upon  one  leg ;  that 
is,  so  long  as  they  are  untempted ;  but  when  the 
tempter  comes,  then  they  fall  and  bemoan  them- 
selves, that  by  losing  peace  they  lost  their  inher- 
itance. There  are  a  great  many  sorts  of  such 
persons.  Some,  when  they  are  full,  are  content, 
and  rejoice  in  God's  providence,  but  murmur 
and  are  amazed  when  they  fall  into  poverty. 
They  are  temperate  and  sober,  if  you  let  them 
alone  at  home  ;  but  call  them  abroad,  and  they 
will  lose  their  sober  thoughts.  These  men,  in 
these  estates,  think  they  stand ;  but  God  knows 
they  are  soon  weary  and  stand  stiff  as  a  cane, 
which  the  heat  of  the  Syrian  star  or  the  flames 
of  the  sun  cannot  bend — but  one  sigh  of  a  north- 
ern wind  shakes  them  into  the  tremblings  of  a 
palsy. 

They  also  have  great  reason  to  fear  whose  re- 
pentance is  broke  into  fragments,  and  is  never 
a  wliole  or  entire  change  of  life.  I  mean  those 
that  resolve  against  a  sin,  and  pray  against  it, 
and  hate  it  in  all  the  resolutions  of  their  under- 
standing, till  that  unlucky  period  comes  in 
which  they  use  to  act  it ;  but  then  they  sin  as 
certainly  as  they  will  infallibly  repent  it  when 
they  have  done.     There  are  a  very  great  many 


20  FIEST   THTJKSDAT   IN   LENT. 

Cliristians  who  yet  feel  tins  feverish  repentance 
to  be  their  best  state  of  health.  They  fall,  cer- 
tainly, in  the  returns  of  the  same  circumstances, 
or  at  a  certain  distance  of  time  ;  but  God  knows 
they  do  not  get  the  victory  over  their  sin,  but 
are  within  its  power.  For  this  is  certain :  they 
who  sin  and  repent,  and  sin  again  in  the  same 
or  like  circumstances,  are  in  some  degree  under 
the  power  and  dominion  of  sin.  Though  it  be 
the  least  habit,  yet  a  habit  it  is.  Every  course, 
or  order,  or  method  of  sin ;  every  constant  or 
periodical  return  ;  every  return  that  can  be 
regularly  observed,  or  which  a  man  can  foresee, 
or  probably  foretell, — even  then,  when  he  does 
not  intend  it,  but  prays  against  it,  every  such 
sin  is  to  be  reckoned,  not  upon  the  accounts  of 
a  pardonable  infirmity,  but  it  is  an  evil  state ; 
such  a  thing  as  the  man  ought  to  fear  concern- 
ing himself,  lest  he  be  surprised,  and  called 
from  this  world  before  this  evil  state  be  altered ; 
for  if  he  be,  his  securities  are  but  slender,  and 
his  hopes  will  deceive  him.  And  let  it  be  con- 
sidered what  growth  that  repentance  can  make 
that  is  never  above  a  week  old,  that  is  forever 
in  its  infancy,  that  is  still  in  its  birth,  that  never 
gets  the  dominion  over  sin. 

Tliey  have  great  reason  to  fear  concerning 
their  condition ;  who,  having  been  in  the  state 
of  grace ;  who,  having  begun  to  lead  a  good  life, 
and  given  their  names  to  God  by  solemn  delib- 


GODLY   FEAR.  21 

erate  acts  of  will  and  understanding,  and  made 
some  progress  in  the  way  of  godliness,  if  they 
shall  retire  to  folly,  and  unravel  all  their  holy 
vows,  and  commit  those  evils,  from  which  they 
formerly  ran  as  from  a  fire,  or  inundation.  Their 
case  hath  in  it  so  many  evils,  that  they  have  great 
reason  to  fear  the  anger  of  God  and  concerning 
the  final  issue  of  their  souls.  For,  to  return  to 
folly  hath  in  it  many  evils  beyond  the  common 
state  of  sin  and  death ;  and  such  evils  which  are 
most  contrary  to  the  hopes  of  pardon. 

Above  all,  they  have  great  reason  to  fear 
whose  sins  are  not  yet  remitted;  for  they  are 
within  the  dominion  of  sin — within  the  kingdom 
of  darkness.  In  this  case,  it  is  natural  to  fear. 
For  if  men  consider  their  condition,  and  know 
that  all  the  felicity,  and  all  the  security,  they 
can  have,  depends  upon  God's  mercy,  pardoning 
their  sins, — they  cannot  choose  but  fear  infinite- 
ly, if  they  have  not  reason  to  hope  that  their  sins 
are  pardoned. 

But  "  whatsoever  is  terrible,  is  destructive  of 
that  thing  for  which  it  is  so ;"  and  if  we  fear  the 
evil  efi*ects  of  sin,  we  ought  to  fear  its  alluring 
face  too.  Let  us  be  so  afraid  that  we  may  not 
dare  to  refuse  to  hear  Him,  whose  throne  is 
heaven,  whose  voice  is  thunder,  whose  tribunal 
is  clouds,  whose  seat  is  the  right  hand  of  God, 
whose  word  is  with  power,  whose  law  is  given 
with  mighty  demonstration  of  the  Spmt ;  who 


22  FIRST   THUKSDAT   m   LENT. 

shall  reward  with  heaven  and  joys  eternal,  and 
who  punishes  His  rebels,  that  will  not  have  Him 
to  reign  over  them,  with  brimstone  and  fire,  with 
a  worm  that  never  dies,  and  a  fire  that  never  is 
quenched.  Let  ns  fear  Him  who  is  terrible  in 
His  judgments,  just  in  His  dispensation,  secret 
in  His  providence,  severe  in  His  demands,  gra- 
cious in  His  assistances,  bountiful  in  His  gifts, 
and  is  never  wanting  to  us  in  what  we  need. 
And  if  all  this  be  not  argument  strong  enough 
to  produce  fear,  and  that  fear  great  enough  to 
secure  obedience,  all  arguments  are  useless,  all 
discourses  are  vain,  the  grace  of  God  is  ineffec- 
tive, and  we  are  dull  as  the  Dead  Sea,  inactive 
as  a  rock,  and  we  shall  never  dwell  with  God  in 
any  sense,  but  as  "  He  is  a  consuming  fire,"  that 
is,  dwell  in  everlasting  burnings. 

PRATER. 

O  Lord  God,  who  hast  promised  to  multiply 
Thy  blessings  upon  them  that  fear  Thee,  teach 
me  the  fear  of  the  Lord ;  and  let  Thy  Spirit  so 
assist  me,  that  I  may  walk  in  Thy  ways  with 
great  carefulness  in  all  my  actions,  and  much 
diligence  to  perform  Thy  holy  will ;  that  I  may 
receive  the  blessings  of  the  righteous,  and  may 
rejoice  in  the  peace  of  Tliy  Church,  waiting  for 
the  consummation  of  glory  in  Thy  eternal  king- 
dom, through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.     Amen. 


riEST  FKIDAY  m  LENT. 

DEATH. 

"  For  we  must  needs  die,  and  are  as  water  spilt  on  the  ground, 
which  cannot  be  gathered  up  again ;  neither  doth  God  respect 
any  person."     2  Sam.  xiv.  14. 

"When  our  blessed  Saviour  and  His  disciples 
viewed  tlie  temple,  some  one  among  them 
cried  ■  out :  "  Master,  behold  what  fair,  what 
great  stones  are  here!"  Christ  made  no  other 
reply,  but  foretold  their  dissolution  :  "  The  time 
shall  come,  that  there  shall  not  be  left  one  stone 
upon  another."  Tlie  whole  temple,  and  the  re- 
ligion, the  ceremonies  ordained  by  God,  and  the 
nation  beloved  by  God,  and  the  fabric  erected 
for  the  service  of  God,  shall  run  to  their  own 
period,  and  lie  down  in  their  several  graves. 
Whatsoever  had  a  beginning  can  also  have  an 
ending  ;  and  it  shall  die,  unless  it  be  daily 
watered  with  the  purls  flowing  from  the  foun- 
tain of  life,  and  refreshed  w^ith  the  dew  of  heaven 
and  the  wells  of  God ;  and,  therefore,  God  had 
provided  a  tree  in  paradise,  to  have  supported 
Adam  in  his  artificial  immortality.  Health  and 
life  were  to  descend  upon  him  from  heaven,  and 


24  FIRST   FEIDAY   IN   LENT 

he  was  to  suck  life  from  a  tree  on  earth  ;  himself 
being  but  engrafted  into  a  tree  of  life,  and  adopt- 
ed into  the  condition  of  an  immortal  nature.  But 
he  that  in  the  best  of  his  days  was  but  a  scion  of 
this  tree  of  life,  by  his  sin  was  cut  off  from  thence 
quickly,  and  planted  upon  thorns ;  and  his  por- 
tion was  forever  after  among  the  flowers,  which 
to-day  spring  and  look  like  health  and  beauty, 
and  in  the  evening  they  are  sick,  and  at  night 
are  dead,  and  the  oven  is  their  grave.  And  as 
before,  even  from  our  first  spring  from  the  dust 
on  earth,  we  might  have  died,  if  we  had  not 
been  preserved  by  the  continual  flux  of  a  rare 
providence ;  so  now,  that  we  are  reduced  to  the 
laws  of  our  own  nature,  "  we  must  needs  die." 

It  is  natural,  and  therefore  necessary ;  it  is 
become  a  punishment  to  us,  and  therefore  it  is 
unavoidable  ;  and  if  a  man  can  be  stronger  than 
nature,  or  can  wrestle  with  a  decree  of  heaven, 
or  can  escape  from  a  Divine  punishment  by  his 
own  arts,  so  that  neither  the  power  nor  the 
providence  of  God,  nor  the  laws  of  nature,  nor 
the  hands  of  eternal  predestination  can  hold  him, 
then  he  may  live  beyond  the  fate  and  period  of 
flesh,  and  last  longer  than  a  flower ;  but  if  aU 
these  can  hold  us  and  tie  us  to  conditions,  then 
we  must  lay  our  heads  down  upon  a  turf,  and 
entertain  creeping  things  in  the  cells  and  little 
chambers  of  our  eyes  and  dwell  with  worms,  till 
time  and  death  shall  be  no  more. 


DEATH.  26 

"  "We  must  needs  die."  That  is  our  sentence 
But  that  is  not  all.  "We  are  as  water  spilt 
on  the  ground,  which  cannot  be  gathered  up 
again." 

Stay — we  are  as  water,  weak  and  of  no  con- 
sistence ;  always  descending,  abiding  in  no  cer- 
tain place,  unless  where  we  are  detained  with 
violence ;  and  every  little  breath  of  wind  makes 
us  rough  and  tempestuous,  and  troubles  our 
faces ;  every  trifling  accident  discomposes  us. 
And  as  the  face  of  the  waters,  wafting  in  a 
storm,  so  wrinkles  itself  that  it  makes  upon  its 
forehead  furrows  deep  and  hollow  like  a  grave ; 
60  do  our  great  and  little  cares  and  trifles  first 
make  the  wrinkles  of  old  age,  and  then  they  dig 
a  grave  for  us.  There  is  in  nature  nothing  so 
contemptible,  but  it  may  meet  with  us  in  such 
circumstances  that  it  may  be  too  hard  for  us  in 
our  weaknesses ;  for  men  die  without  rule,  and 
with  and  without  occasion.  A  man  in  a  long 
consumption  is  fallen  under  one  of  the  solemni- 
ties and  preparations  to  death  ;  but  at  the  same 
instant,  the  most  healthful  person  is  as  near 
death  upon  a  more  fatal  and  a  more  sudden,  but 
a  less  discerned  cause.  There  are  but  few  per- 
sons upon  whose  foreheads  every  man  can  read 
the  sentence  of  death,  written  in  the  lines  of  a 
lingering  sickness ;  but  they  sometimes  hear  the 
passing  bell  ring  for  stronger  men,  even  long 
before  their  own  knell  calls  at  the  house  of  their 


26  riEST  miDAY  in  lent. 

mother  to  open  her  womb,  and  make  a  bed  for 
them. 

No  man  is  surer  of  to-morrow  than  the  weak- 
est of  his  brethren ;  and  there  is  no  age  of  man 
but  it  hath,  proper  to  itself,  some  posterns  and 
outlets  for  death,  besides  those  infinite  and  open 
ports  out  of  which  myriads  of  men  and  women 
every  day  pass  into  the  dark,  and  the  land  of 
forgetfulness. 

Infancy  hath  life  bnt  in  e&igj^  or  like  a  spark 
dwelling  in  a  pile  of  wood:  the  candle  is  so 
newly  lighted,  that  every  little  shaking  of  the 
taper,  and  every  ruder  breath  of  air,  puts  it  out 
and  it  dies.  Childhood  is  so  tender,  yet  so  un- 
wary ;  so  soft  to  all  the  impressions  of  chance, 
and  yet  so  forward  to  run  into  them,  that  God 
knew  there  could  be  no  security  without  the 
care  and  vigilance  of  an  angel-keeper ;  and  the 
eyes  of  parents  and  the  arms  of  nurses,  the  pro- 
visions of  art  and  all  the  effects  of  human  love 
and  providence,  are  not  sufficient  to  keep  one 
child  from  horrid  mischiefs,  from  strange  and 
early  calamities  and  deaths,  unless  a  messenger 
be  sent  from  heaven  to  stand  sentinel,  and  watch 
the  very  playings  and  sleepings,  the  eatings  and 
drinkings,  of  the  children. 

Neither  in  the  middle  way  is  the  case  altered. 

For  there  are  so  many  diseases  in  man  that  are 

,  not  understood  ; — so  many  new  ones  every  year ; 

• — the  symptoms  are  oftentimes  so  alike ; — some- 


DEATH. 


27 


times  so  hidden  and  fallacious ; — sometimes  none 
at  all; — and  then  the  diseases  in  the  inward 
parts  of  the  body  are  oftentimes  such  to  which 
no  application  can  be  made ;  and  all  this  while 
the  men  are  sick,  and  they  take  things  that 
certainly  make  them  sicker  for  the  present,  and 
very  uncertainly  restore  health  for  the  future ; 
while  besides  nature  and  chance,  and  the  mis- 
takes of  art,  men  die  with  their  own  sins,  and 
then  enter  into  the  grave  in  haste  and  passion, 
and  pull  the  heavy  stone  of  the  monument  upon 
their  own  heads. 

We  throw  away  our  lives  as  if  they  were  un- 
profitable (and,  indeed,  most  men  make  them 
so) :  we  let  our  years  slip  through  our  fingers 
like  water ;  and  nothing  is  to  be  seen,  but  like 
a  shower  of  tears  upon  a  spot  of  ground ; — 
there  is  a  grave  digged,  and  a  solemn  mourn- 
ing, and  a  great  talk  in  the  neighborhood,  and 
when  the  days  are  finished,  they  shall  be ;  and 
they  shall  be  remembered  no  more.  And  that 
is  like  w^ater  too, — when  it  is  spilt,  "  it  cannot 
be  gathered  up  again." 

There  is  no  redemption  in  the  grave. 

Men  live  in  their  course  and  by  turns ;  their 
light  burns  awhile,  and  then  it  burns  blue  and 
faint ;  and  men  go  to  converse  with  spirits,  and 
then  they  reach  the  taper  to  another;  and  as 
the  hours  of  yesterday  can  never  return  again, . 
so  neither  can  the  man  w^liose  hours  they  w-ere, 


28  FIRST    FKIDAY   IN   LENT. 

and  who  lived  them  over  once, — he  shall  never 
come  to  live  them  again,  and  live  them  better. 

"  Neither  doth  God  respect  the  person  of  any 
man :"  the  rich  is  not  protected  for  favor,  nor 
the  poor  for  pity ;  the  old  man  is  not  reverenced 
for  his  age,  nor  the  infant  regarded  for  his  ten- 
derness. Youth  and  beauty,  learning  and  pru- 
dence, wit  and  strength,  lie  down  equally  in 
the  dishonors  of  the  grave.  All  men,  and  all 
natures,  and  all  persons,  resist  the  addresses 
and  solemnities  of  death,  and  strive  to  preserve 
a  miserable  and  unpleasant  life ;  and  yet  they 
all  sink  down  and  die.  For  so  have  I  seen  the 
pillars  of  a  building  assisted  with  artificial  props, 
bending  under  the  pressure  of  a  roof,  and  per- 
tinaciously resisting  the  infallible  and  prepared 
ruin,  till  the  determined  day  comes,  and  then 
the  burden  sunk  upon  the  pillars,  and  disordered 
the  aids  and  auxiliary  rafters  into  a  common 
ruin,  and  a  ruder  grave. 

Let  us  not  think  to  be  excepted  or  deferred. 
We  have  lived  so  many  years,  and  every  day 
and  every  minute  we  make  an  escape  from 
those  thousands  of  dangers  and  deaths  that  en- 
compass us  round  about ;  and  such  escapings 
we  must  reckon  to  be  an  extraordinary  fortune ; 
and,  therefore,  that  it  cannot  last  long.  Yain 
are  the  thoughts  of  man,  who,  when  he  is  young 
,or  healthful,  thinks  he  hath  a  long  thread  of 
life  to  run  over,  and  that  it  is  violent  and  strange 


DEATH.  29 

for  young  persons  to  die,  and  natural  and  proper 
only  for  the  aged.  That  is  more  natural  which 
hath  more  natural  causes,  and  that  is  m_ore 
natural  which  is  most  common.  But  to  die 
with  age  is  an  extreme  rare  thing ;  and  there 
are  more  persons  carried  forth  to  burial  before 
the  five-and-thirtieth  year  of  their  age  than  after 
it ;  and,  therefore,  let  no  vain  confidence  make 
you  hope  for  long  life.  If  you  have  lived  but 
little,  and  are  still  in  youth,  remember  that  now 
you  are  in  your  biggest  throng  of  dangers,  both 
of  body  and  soul.  But  if  you  be  old,  you  have 
escaped  long  and  wonderfully,  and  the  time  of 
your  escaping  is  out.  You  must  not  forever 
think  to  live  upon  wonders,  or  that  God  will 
Work  miracles  to  satisfy  your  longing  follies,  and 
unreasonable  desires  of  living  longer  to  sin  and 
to  the  world. 

Go  home  and  think  to  die  ;  and  what  you 
would  choose  to  be  doing  when  you  die,  that  do 
daily :  for  you  will  all  come  to  that  pass  to  re- 
joice that  you  did  so,  or  wish  that  you  had. 
That  will  be  the  condition  of  every  one  of  us, 
for  ^'  God  regardeth  no  man's  person," 

PRAYER. 

O  Eternal  and  most  Holy  Saviour,  who  by 
death  hast  overcome  death,  and  made  it  to  be-, 
come  one  of  the  gates  of  heaven ;  let  Thy  grace, 
3» 


30  rmsT  fkiday  in  lent. 

I  beseech  Thee,  accompany  me  all  the  days  of 
my  life,  and  grant  me  so  perfectly  to  obey  Thy 
commandments,  that  Thou  mayest  be  gracious 
unto  me  in  the  pardon  of  my  sins,  and  that  I 
may  die  the  death  of  the  righteous  in  the  com- 
munion and  peace  of  the  Church.  And  when 
my  days  are  gone,  and  my  years  are  brought  to 
an  end,  like  a  tale  that  is  told,  let  my  soul  rest 
with  Thee  in  safety  and  joy,  waiting  for  the 
glories  of  Thy  kingdom  ;  O  Gracious  and  Mer- 
ciful Eedeemer.     Amen. 


FIEST  SATUKDAY  m  LENT. 

THE  JUDGMENT  DAY. 

"  For  we  must  all  appear  before  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ,  that 
everyone  may  receive  the  things  done  in  his  body,  according 
to  that  he  hath  done,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad."  2  Cor. 
V.  10. 

I  HAVE  read  a  story,  that  a  young  gentleman, 
being  passionately  by  his  mother  dissuaded  from 
entering  into  the  severe  courses  of  a  religious 
life,  broke  from  her  importunity  by  saying,  "  I 
am  resolved,  by  all  means,  to  save  my  soul." 
But  when  he  had  undertaken  a  rule  with  pas- 
sion he  performed  it  carelessly  and  remissly,  and 
was  but  lukewarm  in  his  religion,  and  quickly 
proceeded  to  a  melancholy  and  wearied  spirit, 
and  from  thence  to  a  sickness  and  the  neighbor- 
hood of  death.  But,  falling  into  an  agony  and  a 
fantastic  vision,  dreamed  that  he  saw  himself 
summoned  before  God's  angry  throne,  and  from 
thence  hurried  into  a  place  of  torment,  where, 
espying  his  mother,  full  of-  scorn,  she  upbraided 
liim  with  his  former  answer,  and  asked  him  why 
he  did  not  save  his  soul  by  all  means,  according 
as  he   undertook.     But    when    the    sick    man 


32  FIEST    SATURDAY   IN   LENT. 

awaked,  and  recovered,  he  made  his  words  good 
indeed;  and  prayed  frequently,  and  fasted  se- 
verely, and  labored  humbly,  and  conversed 
charitably,  and  mortified  himself  severely,  and 
refused  such  secular  solaces  w^hich  other  good 
men  received  to  refresh  and  sustain  their  infirm- 
ities, and  gave  no  other  account  to  them  that 
asked  him  but  this :  "  If  I  could  not  in  my  dream 
endure  my  mother's  upbraiding  my  follies  and 
weak  religion,  how  shall  I  be  able  to  suffer,  that 
God  should  reject  me  at  doomsday,  and  the  an- 
gels reproach  my  lukewarmness,  and  the  devils 
aggravate  my  sins,  and  all  the  saints  of  God  de- 
ride my  follies  and  hypocrisies  ?" 

The  effect  of  that  man's  consideration  may 
serve  to  actuate  a  meditation  in  every  one  of  us, 
for  we  shall  all  be  at  that  pass,  that  unless  our 
shame  and  sorrows  be  cleansed  by  a  timely  re- 
pentance, and  covered  by  the  robe  of  Christ,  we 
shall  suffer  the  anger  of  God,  the  scorn  of  saints 
and  angels,  and  our  own  shame  in  the  general 
assembly  of  all  mankind. 

"  We  must  all  appear  before  the  judgment 
seat  of  Christ,  that  every  one  may  receive  the 
things  done  in  his  body,  according  to  that  he 
hath  done,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad." 

This  is  that  which  the  Apostle,  in  the  next 
verse,  calls  "  the  terror  of  the  Lord."  It  is  His 
terror,  because  Himself  shall  appear  in  His  dress 
of  majesty  and  robes  of  justice;  and  it  is  His 


THE   JTJDGMENT   DAY.  33 

terror,  because  it  is,  of  all  things  in  the  world, 
the  most  formidable  in  itself,  and  it  is  most  fear- 
ful to  us ;  where  shall  be  acted  the  interest  and 
final  sentence  of  eternity. 

For  the  persons  to  be  judged  are  you,  and  I, 
and  all  the  world ;  kings  and  priests,  nobles  and 
learned,  the  crafty  and  the  easy,  the  wise  and 
the  foolish,  the  rich  and  the  poor,  the  prevailing 
tyrant  and  the  oppressed  party,  shall  all  appear 
to  receive  their  sentence  ;  and  this  is  so  far  from 
abating  any  thing  of  its  terror  and  our  dear  con- 
cernment, that  it  much  increases  it;  since  in 
final  and  extreme  events,  the  multitude  of  suffer- 
ers does  not  lessen  but  increase  the  suffering. 

He  that  stands  in  a  churchyard  in  the  time  of 
a  great  plague,  and  hears  the  passing-bell  per- 
petually telling  the  sad  stories  of  death,  and  sees 
crowds  of  infected  bodies  passing  to  their  graves ; 
and  others  sick  and  tremulous;  and  death,  dressed 
up  in  all  the  images  of  sorrow,  round  about  him; 
is  not  supported  in  his  spirit  by  the  variety  of 
his  sorrow.  And  at  doomsday,  when  the  terrors 
are  universal — besides  that  it  is  itself  so  much 
greater,  because  it  can  affright  the  whole  world 
— it  is  also  made  greater  by  communication  and 
a  sorrowful  influence.  And  that  shriek  must 
needs  be  terrible,  when  millions  of  men  and 
women,  at  the  same  instant,  shall  fearfully  cry 
out,  and  the  noise  shall  mingle  with  the  trumpet 
of  the  archangel,  with  the  thunders  of  the  dying 


34  FIRST   SATURDAY   IN   LENT. 

and  groaning  heavens,  and  the  crash  of  the  dis- 
solving world  ;  when  the  whole  fabric  of  nature 
shall  shake  into  dissolution  and  eternal  ashes. 

But  this  general  consideration  may  be  height- 
ened by  other  circumstances. 

Consider  what  an  infinite  multitude  of  angels, 
and  men,  and  women,  shall  there  appear.  It  is 
a  huge  assembly  when  the  men  of  one  kingdom, 
the  men  of  one  age  in  a  single  province,  are 
gathered  together  into  heaps  and  confusion  of 
disorder  ;  but  then,  all  kingdoms  of  all  ages,  all 
the  armies  that  ever  mustered,  all  the  world 
that  Augustus  Caesar  taxed,  all  those  hundreds 
of  millions  that  were  slain  in  all  the  Roman 
wars ;  all  these,  and  all  that  can  come  into 
numbers,  and  that  did  descend  from  the  loins 
of  Adam,  shall  at  once  be  represented.  To 
which  account,  if  we  add  the  armies  of  heaven, 
the  nine  orders  of  blessed  spirits,  and  the  infinite 
numbers  in  every  order,  we  may  suppose  the 
numbers  fit  to  express  the  majesty  of  that  God, 
and  the  terror  of  that  Judge,  who  is  the  Lord 
and  Father  of  all  that  unimaginable  multitude. 

And  this  infinite  multitude  of  men,  women, 
angels,  and  devils,  must  needs  have  influence 
upon  every  spirit  that  shall  there  appear.  For 
the  transactions  of  that  court  are  not  like  ora- 
tions spoken  by  a  Grecian  orator  in  the  circles 
of  his  people — heard  by  them  that  crowd  near- 
est him ;  or  that  sound  limited  by  the  circles  of 


THE   JUDG5»rENT   DAT.  35 

air,  or  the  inclosure  of  a  wall :  but  every  thing 
is  represented  to  every  person,  and  that  then 
shall  be  spoken  by  the  trumpet  of  an  archangel 
upon  the  house-top — the  highest  battlements  of 
heaven,  which  thou  didst  act  secretly. 

That  all  may  think  themselves  concerned  in 
this  consideration,  let  us  remember  than  even  the 
righteous  and  most  innocent  shall  pass  through 
a  severe  trial.  He  that  hath  the  greatest  cause 
of  confidence,  although  he  runs  to  no  rocks  to 
hide  him,  yet  he  runs  to  the  protection  of  the 
cross,  and  hides  himself  under  the  shadow  of 
Divine  mercies;  and  he  that  shall  receive  the 
absolution  of  the  blessed  sentence,  shall  also 
sufi'er  the  terrors  of  the  day,  and  the  fearful  cir- 
cumstances of  Christ's  coming.  And  if  St.  Paul, 
whose  conscience  accused  him  not,  yet  durst  not 
be  too  confident,  because  he  was  not  hereby 
justified,  but  might  be  found  faulty  by  the 
severer  judgment  of  his  Lord ;  how  shall  we 
appear,  with  all  our  crimes  and  evil  habits 
round  about  us  ? 

But  the  matter  is  still  of  more  concernment. 
Tlie  Pharisees  believed  that  they  were  innocent, 
if  they  abstained  from  criminal  actions,  such  as 
were  punishable  by  the  judge;  and  many  Chris- 
tians think  all  is  well  with  them,  if  they  abstain 
from  such  sins  as  have  a  name  in  the  table  of 
their  laws.  But,  because  some  sins  are  secret 
and  not  discernible  to  man;  others  are  public 


36  FIRST   SATURDAY   IN   LENT. 

but  not  punished,  because  they  were  without 
external  mischiefs,  and  only  provocations  against 
God ;  men  think  that  in  their  concernments  they 
have  no  place.  Such  are  jeering,  and  many  in- 
stances of  wantonness  and  revelling,  doing  petty 
spites,  and  rudeness,  and  churlishness,  lying, 
and  pride;  and  some  are  very  like  virtues,  as 
too  much  gentleness  and  slackness  in  govern- 
njent,  or  too  great  severity  and  rigor  of  animad- 
version or  bitterness  in  reproof  of  sinners.  But 
when  the  day  of  judgment  comes,  these  shall  be 
called  to  a  severe  account ;  for  the  Judge  is  om- 
niscient, and  knows  all  things ;  and  His  tribunal 
takes  cognizance  of  all  causes,  and  hath  a  coer- 
cive for  all. 

Then  shall  men  that  belong  not  to  the  portion 
of  life  have  three  sorts  of  accusers. 

1st.  Christ,  Himself,  who  is  their  Judge. 

2d.  Their  own  conscience,  whom  they  have 
injured  and  blotted  with  characters  of  death 
and  foul  dishonor. 

3d.  The  devil,  their  enemy,  whom  they  served. 

Christ  shall  be  their  accuser — and  the  accusa- 
tion will  be  nothing  else  but  a  plain  represen- 
tation of  those  artifices  and  assistances,  those 
bonds  and  invitations,  those  constrainings  and 
importunities  which  our  dear  Lord  used  to  us, 
to  make  it  almost  impossible  to  lie  in  sin,  and 
necessary  to  be  saved.  For  God  did  not  only 
give  His  Son  for  an  example,  and  the  Son  gave 


THE   JUDGMENT   DAY.  37 

Himself  a  price  for  us,  but  both  gave  tlie  Holy 
Spirit  to  assist  us  in  mighty  graces ;  and  we  are 
to  be  happy  hereafter,  if  we  suffer  God  to  make 
us  happy  here ;  and  things  are  so  ordered,  that 
a  man  must  take  more  pains  to  perish  than  to 
be  happy.  And  as  our  conscience  will  then 
represent  all  our  sins  to  us,  so  the  Judge  will 
represent  all  His  Father's  kindnesses,  as  N^athan 
did  to  David,  when  he  was  to  make  the  j  ustice 
of  the  Divine  sentence  appear  against  him. 

Our  conscience  shall  be  our  accuser — we  shall 
be  condemned  for  the  evils  that  we  have  done,, 
and  shall  then  remember;  God,  by  His  power, 
wiping  away  the  dust  from  the  tables  of  our 
memory,  and  taking  off  the  consideration,  and 
the  voluntary  neglect,  and  rude  shufflings  of 
our  cases  of  conscience.  For  all  things  are  laid 
up  safely ;  and  though  we  draw  a  curtain  of  a 
cobweb  over  them,  and  sew  fig-leaves  before 
our  shame,  yet  God  shall  draw  away  the  curtain, 
and  forgetfulness  shall  be  no  more. 

The  devils  will  be  our  accusers — and  they 
will  do  it  with  malicious  and  evil  purposes; 
and  therefore  God,  who  delights  that  His  mercy 
should  triumph,  and  His  goodness  prevail  over 
all  the  malice  of  men  and  devils,  hath  appointed 
One  whose  office  is  to  reprove  the  accuser,  and 
to  resist  the  enemy — to  be  a  defender  of  their 
cause  who  belons*  to  God. 

The  devil  shall  accuse  the  brethren,  that  is, 
4 


38  FIRST    SATUKDAY   IN   LENT. 

the  saints  and  servants  of  God,  and  shall  tell 
concerning  their  follies  and  infirmities,  the  sins 
of  their  youth,  and  the  weakness  of  their  age — 
the  imperfect  grace  and  the  long  schedule  of 
omissions  of  duty — those  things  which  them- 
selves, by  strict  examination,  find  themselves 
guilty  of,  and  have  confessed. 

But  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  maketh  intercession 
for  us,  shall  then  also  interpose,  and  against  all 
these  things  shall  oppose  the  passion  of  our 
blessed  Lord;  and  upon  all  their  defects  shall 
cast  the  robe  of  His  righteousness;  and  the  sins 
of  their  youth  shall  not  prevail  so  much  as  the 
repentance  of  their  age ;  and  their  omissions  be 
excused  by  probable  intervening  causes,  and 
their  little  escapes  shall  appear  single  and  in 
disunion,  because  they  were  always  kept  asun- 
der by  penitential  prayers  and  sighings ;  and 
their  seldom  returns  of  sin  by  their  daily  watch- 
fulness; and  their  often  infirmities  by  the  sin- 
cerity of  their  souls ;  and  their  scruples  by  their 
zeal ;  and  their  passions  by  their  love :  and  all 
by  the  mercies  of  God  and  the  sacrifice  which 
their  Judge  offered,  and  the  Holy  Sj)irit  made 
•effective  by  daily  graces  and  assistances.  These, 
therefore,  infallibly  go  to  the  portion  of  the  right 
hand,  because  the  Lord  our  God  shall  answer 
for  them. 

"  But  as  for  the  wicked,  it  is  not  so  with 
them ;"  for  cannot  the  accuser  truly  say  to  the 


THE   JUDGMENT   DAY.  39 

Judge  concerning  such  persons  :  "Thej  were 
thine  by  creation,  but  mine  by  tlieir  own  choice. 
Thou  didst  redeem  them  indeed,  but  they  sold 
themselves  to  me  for  a  trifle,  or  for  an  unsatis- 
fying interest.  Thou  diedst  for  them,  but  they 
obeyed  my  commandments.  I  gave  them  no- 
thing— I  promised  them  nothing  but  the  plea- 
sure of  a  night,  or  the  joys  of  madness,  or  the 
delights  of  a  disease.  I  never  hanged  upon  the 
cross  three  long  hours  for  them,  nor  endured 
the  labors  of  a  poor  life  thirty-three  years  to- 
gether for  their  interest ;  only  when  they  were 
Thine  by  the  merit  of  Thy  death,  they  quickly 
became  mine  by  the  demerit  of  their  ingrati- 
tude ;  and  when  Thou  hadst  clothed  their  soul 
with  Thy  robe,  and  adorned  them  by  Thy  graces, 
we  stripped  them  naked  as  their  shame,  and 
only  put  on  a  robe  of  darkness ;  and  they 
thought  themselves  secure,  and  went  dancing 
to  their  grave,  like  a  drunkard  to  a  fight,  or  a 
fly  unto  a  candle ;  and,  therefore,  they  that  did 
partake  with  us  in  our  faults,  must  divide  with 
us  in  our  portion  and  fearful  interest !" 

I  shall  only  add  what  the  patriarch  of  Alex- 
andria told  an  old  religious  person  in  his  her- 
mitage. Having  asked  him  what  he  found  in 
that  desert,  he  was  answered  only  this ;  "  To 
judge  and  condemn  myself  perpetually;  that  is 
the  employment  of  my  solitude."  The  patriarch 
answered:    "There  is  no  other  way."     By  ac- 


40  FIKST   SATURDAY   IN"   LENT. 

ciising  ourselves  we  shall  make  the  devil's  malice 
useless,  and  our  own  consciences  clear,  and  be 
reconciled  to  the  Judge  by  the  severities  of  an 
early  repentance,  and  then  we  need  to  fear  no 
accusers. 

PRAYER. 

O  Lord  our  King,  Lord  of  the  whole  earth, 
Judge  of  all  the  world,  from  whom  cometh  both 
pardon  and  punishment,  have  mercy  upon  me 
now,  at  the  hour  of  death,  and  in  the  day  of 
judgment.  Sanctify  me  with  Thy  grace  that  I 
may  rejoice  in  the  remembrance  of  Thy  holi- 
ness ;  and  in  the  Day  of  great  terror,  when  a  fire 
shall  go  forth  from  thy  presence  to  burn  up  Thy 
enemies  on  every  side,  preserve  me  from  eternal 
darkness,  and  grant  me  the  light  of  Thy  Coun- 
tenance, through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.    Amen. 


FIEST  SUKDAY  IN"  LENT. 

THE  TEMPTATION  OF  CHRIST. 

**  Then  was  Jesus  led  up  of  the  Spirit  into  the  wilderness  to 
be  tempted  of  the  devil."     Matt.  iv.  1. 

No  sooner  had  the  voice  of  God  pronounced 
Jesus  to  be  the  well-beloved  Son  of  God,  but 
the  devil  thought  it  of  great  concernment  to 
tempt  Him,  with  all  his  malice  and  his  art ;  and 
that  is  the  condition  of  all  those,  whom  God's 
grace  hath  separated  from  the  common  expecta- 
tions and  societies  of  the  world :  and  therefore 
tlie  son  of  Sirach  gave  good  advice  :  "  My  son, 
if  thou  come  to  serve  the  Lord,  prepare  thj  soul 
for  temptation."  For  not  only  the  spirits  of 
darkness  are  exasperated  at  the  declension  of 
their  own  kingdom,  but  also  the  nature  of  those 
graces  which  holy  persons  exercise  in  their 
lives  is  apt  to  be  interrupted  by  weariness,  to 
grow  insipid  by  tediousness  of  labor,  to  be 
omitted  by  the  diversions  of  society  and  secular 
occasions  ;  so  that  to  acquire  every  new  degree 
of  virtue,  to  continue  the  holy  fires  of  zeal  in 
their  just  proportion,  and  to  reject  the  invita- 
tions of  the  world,  which  are  the  proper  em- 


42  rmsT  Sunday  in  lent. 

ployment  of  the  sons  of  God,  is  a  perpetual 
difficulty ;  and  every  possibility  of  prevaricating 
the  strictness  of  a  duty,  is  a  temptation  and 
insecurity  to  them  who  have  begun  to  serve 
God  in  hard  battles. 

The  Holy  Spirit  did  drive  Jesus  into  the 
wilderness  to  be  tempted  of  the  devil.  And 
though  we  are  bound  to  pray  instantly,  that  we 
fall  into  no  temptation,  yet  if,  by  Divine  per- 
mission, we  be  engaged  in  an  action  or  course 
of  life  that  is  full  of  temptation  and  empty  of 
comfort,  let  us  apprehend  it  as  a  designation  of 
that  way  in  which  we  must  glorify  God ;  but 
no  argument  of  disfavor  ;  since  our  dearest 
Lord,  the  most  Holy  Jesus,  who  could  have 
driven  the  devil  away  by  the  breath  of  His 
mouth,  yet  was,  by  the  Spirit  of  His  Father, 
permitted  to  a  trial  and  molestation  by  the 
spirits  of  darkness.  And  this  is  St.  James's 
counsel :  "  My  brethren,  count  it  all  joy  when 
ye  enter  into  divers  temptations  ;  knowing  that 
the  trial  of  your  faith  worketh  patience." 

As  soon  as  it  was  permitted  to  the  devil  to 
tempt  our  Lord,  he,  like  fire,  had  no  power  to 
suspend  his  act,  but  was  as  entirely  determined 
by  the  fulness  of  his  malice  as  a  natural  agent 
by  the  appetites  of  nature ;  that  we  may  know  « 
to  whom  we  owe  the  happiness  of  all  those 
hours  and  days  of  peace,  in  which  we  sit  under 
the  trees  of  paradise  and  see  no  serpent  encir- 


THE   TEMPTATION   OF   CKEIST.  4S 

cling  the  branches,  and  presenting  us  with  fair 
fruit  to  ruin  us.  It  is  the  mercy  of  God  we 
have  the  quietness  of  a  minute  ;  for  if  the  devil's 
chain  were  taken  off  he  w^ould  make  our  very 
beds  a  torment,  our  tables  to  be  a  snare,  and 
every  sense  should  have  an  object  of  delight 
and  danger.  But  the  Holy  Jesus  having  been 
assaulted  by  the  devil,  and  felt  his  malice  by 
the  experiments  of  humanity,  is  become  so  mer- 
ciful a  High  Priest,  and  so  sensible  of  our  suffer- 
ings and  danger,  by  the  apprehensions  of  compas- 
sions, that  He  hath  put  a  hook  into  the  nostrils 
of  Leviathan ;  and  although  the  relics  of  seven 
nations  be  in  our  borders,  and  the  fringes  of  our 
country,  yet  we  live  as  safe  as  did  the  Israelites, 
upon  whom  sometimes  an  inroad  and  invasion 
was  made,  and  sometimes  they  had  rest  forty 
years ;  and  when  the  storm  came,  some  remedy 
was  found  out  by  His  grace,  by  whose  permis- 
sion the  tempest  was  stirred  up.  And  we  find 
many  persons,  who,  in  seven  years,  meet  not 
with  a  violent  temptation  to  a  crime,  but  their 
battles  are  against  impediments  and  retardations 
of  improvement.  For  God  impedes  the  devil's 
rage,  and  infatuates  his  counsels ;  He  diverts  his 
malice  and  defeats  his  purposes ;  He  suffers  him 
to  walk  in  solitary  places,  and  yet  fetters  him, 
that  he  caijnot  disturb  the  peace  of  a  child ;  He 
hath  given  him  mighty  power,  and  yet  a  young 
maiden  that  resists  him  shall  make  him  flee 


4A  FIRST   SUNDAY   IN   LENT. 

away ;  He  gave  him  power  over  the  winds,  and 
made  him  prince  of  the  air;  and  yet  the  breath 
of  a  holy  prayer  can  drive  him  as  far  as  the  ut- 
most sea ;  and  it  is  by  the  grace  and  mercy  of 
God,  put  into  the  power  of  every  Christian,  to 
do  that  which  God,  through  Jesus  Christ,  will 
accept  to  salvation;  and  neither  men  nor  devils 
shall  hinder  it,  unless  we  list  ourselves. 


PRAYER. 

O  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
the  Giver  of  all  grace,  the  Author  of  all  ghostly 
strength,  hear,  I  beseech,  my  prayers  and  sup- 
plications, and  deliver  me  from  all  temptations 
of  the  world,  the  .flesh,  and  the  devil.  Let  me 
never  want  Thy  help  in  my  needs,  nor  Thy 
comfort  in  the  day  of  danger  and  calamity ;  but 
60  strengthen  me  with  Thy  grace,  that  I  may 
fight  a  good  fight,  and  conquer,  and  finally  be 
crowned  with  a  crown  of  righteousness,  through 
the  mercies  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ.     Amen. 


FIEST  MOIJTDAY  m  LENT, 

SELF-EXAMINATION. 

"  Examine  yourselves,  whether  ye  be  in  the  faith ;  prove  your 
own  selves."     2  Cor.  xiii.  6. 

"  It  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom  to  know  a 
man's  own  weaknesses  and  failings  in  things  of 
greatest  necessity ;"  and  we  have  here  so  many 
objects  to  furnish  out  this  knowledge,  that  we 
find  it  with  the  longest  and  latest,  before  it  be 
obtained.  A  man  does  not  begin  to  know  him- 
self till  he  be  old,  and  then  he  is  well  stricken 
in  death.  A  man's  heart  being  at  first  like  a 
plain  table — unspotted,  indeed,  but  then  there  is 
nothing  legible  in  it.  As  soon  as  ever  we  ripen 
towards  the  imperfect  uses  of  our  reason,  we 
write  upon  this  table  such  crooked  characters, 
such  imperfect  configurations,  and  stain  it  with 
so  many  blots  and  vicious  inspersions,  that  there 
is  nothing  worth  the  reading  in  our  hearts  for  a 
great  while ;  and  when  education  and  ripeness, 
reason  and  experience.  Christian  philosophy  and 
the  grace  of  God,  have  made  fair  impressions, 
and  written  the  law  in  our  hearts  with  the  finger 
of  God's  Holy  Spirit,  we  blot  out  this  handwrit- 


46  FIRST   MONDAY   IN   LENT. 

ing  of  God's  ordinances,  or  mingle  it  with  false 
principles  and  interlinings  of  our  own ;  we  dis- 
order the  method  of  God,  or  deface  the  truth  of 
God. 

Our  hearts  are  blind,  wilfully  blind.  "We  are 
false  ourselves,  and  dare  not  trust  God.  We 
love  to  be  deceived,  and  are  angry  if  we  be 
told  so.  We  love  to  seem  virtuous,  and  yet 
hate  to  be  so.  "We  believe  things,  not  for  their 
reasons  and  proper  arguments,  but  as  they  serve 
our  turns,  be  they  true  or  false.  We  are  busy 
in  the  faults  of  others,  and  negligent  of  our  own. 
We  live  the  life  of  spies,  striving  to  know  others, 
and  to  be  unknown  ourselves ;  and  if  I  should 
gather  the  abuses,  and  impieties,  and  deceptions 
of  the  heart  into  one  table,  I  fear  they  would 
seem  remediless,  and  beyond  the  cure  of  w^atch- 
fulness  and  religion. 

Indeed,  they  are  great  and  many ;  but  the 
grace  of  God  is  greater ;  and  "  if  iniquity  , 
abounds,"  then  "  doth  grace  superabound," 
and  that  is  our  comfort  and  our  medicine. 
But  let  us  w^atch  our  heart  at  every  turn — let 
us  suspect  it  as  an  enemy:  let  us  "judge  our- 
selves, that  we  be  not  judged  of  the  Lord  ;"  for 
our  examination  of  ourselves  w^ill  prevent  the 
horrors  of  the  eternal  scrutiny ;  our  condemna- 
tion of  our  sins  will  prevent  God's  condemnation 
of  us  for  them  ;  and  when  we  examine  so  as  to 
judge,  and  so  condemn  our  sins  that  we  approve 


SELF-EXAMINATION.  47 

ourselves  to  God  and  our  own  consciences — 
tlien  we  have  examined  rightly. 

Some  sins  are  so  notorious,  that  they  go  be- 
fore unto  judgment  and  condemnation,  and 
they  need  no  examining ;  and  whatsoever  is 
not  done  against  our  wills,  cannot  be  besides 
our  knowledge,  and  so  cannot  need  examina- 
tion, but  remembering  only.  And,  therefore, 
T  do  not  call  upon  the  drunkard  to  examine 
liimself  concerning  temperance ;  or  the  oppres- 
sor concerning  his  cruel  covetousness ;  or  the 
customary  swearer  concerning  his  profaneness. 
'No  man  needs  much  inquiry  to  know  wliether 
a  man  be  alive  or  dead  when  he  hath  lost  a 
vital  part.  But  this  caution  is  given  to  the 
returning  sinner,  to  the  repenting  man ;  to  him 
that  weeps  for  his  sins,  and  leaves  what  was 
the  shame  of  his  face  and  the  reproach  of  his 
heart. 

For  we  are  quickly  apt  to  think  we  are  washed 
enough ;  and  having  remembered  our  falls,  we 
groan  in  method,  and  weep  at  certain  times; 
we  bid  ourselves  be  sorrowful,  and  tune  our 
heart-strings  to  the  accent  and  key  of  the  pres- 
ent solemnity ;  and  as  sorrow  enters  in  a  dress 
and  imagery  when  we  bid  her,  so  she  goes  away 
when  the  scene  is  done.  Here,  here  it  is  that 
we  are  to  examine — whether  show^s  do  make  a 
real  change ;  whether  shadows  can  be  sub- 
stances   and   whether  to   begin   a   good   work 


48  FIKST   MONDAY   IN   LENT. 

splendidly  can  effect  all  the  purposes  of  its 
designation. 

And,  in  this  examination,  take  no  accounts  of 
yourself  by  your  thoughts  and  resolutions  in  the 
days  of  religion  and  solemnity ;  but  examine 
how  it  is  with  you  in  the  days  of  ordinary  con- 
versation, and  in  the  circumstances  of  secular 
employments.  For  he  that  puts  on  fine  clothes 
for  one  day  or  two,  must  not  suppose  himself  to 
be  that  prince  which  he  only  personates.  "We 
dress  ourselves  upon  a  day  of  religion,  and  then 
we  cannot  endure  to  think  on  sin ;  and,  if  we 
do,  we  sigh ;  and  when  we  sigh,  we  pray,  and 
suppose  that  if  we  might  die  upon  that  day,  it 
would  be  a  good  day's  work,  for  we  could  not 
die  in  a  better  time.  But  let  us  not  deceive 
ourselves.  That  is  our  picture  that  is  like  us 
every  day  in  the  week;  and  if  you  wear  the 
same  habits  of  virtue  every  day  in  the  week 
as  you  put  on  upon  a  Communion  day,  you 
have  more  reason  to  be  satisfied  than  by  all  the 
extemjDore  piety  and  solemn  religion,  that  rises 
at  the  sound  of  a  bell,  and  keeps  her  time  by 
the  calendar  of  the  Church  more  than  by  the 
laws  of  God. 

Try,  also,  whether  your  resolutions  are  likely 
to  hold ;  but  here  you  must  not  rely  upon  words, 
but  place  yourself  in  the  scene  and  circum- 
stances of  your  temj)tation,  and  try  whether 
you  be  likely  to  hold  out,  when  sin  comes  with 


SELF-EXAMINATION.  49 

all  the  offers  of  advantage.  You  resolve  against 
all  intemperate  anger,  and  you  deny  the  im- 
portunity of  many  trifling  occurrences ;  but 
consider,  if  you  be  provoked,  and  if  you  be 
despised,  can  your  flesh  and  blood  endure  it 
then  ?  It  is  nothing  to  despise  a  cheap  sin  and 
a  common  temptation,  but  art  thou  strong 
enough  to  overcome  the  strongest  argument 
that  thy  sin  hath  ? 

Examine  thyself  here  wisely  and  severely; 
but  only  by  what  is  likely  to  fall  upon  you 
actually.  Do  not  ask  yourself  whether  you 
would  endure  the  rack  for  God,  or  the  applica- 
tion of  burning  basins  to  the  eyes,  or  the  tor- 
ment of  a  slow  fire,  or  whether  you  had  rather 
go  to  hell  than  commit  a  sin;  this  is  too  fan- 
tastic a  trial.  And  when  God — it  may  be — 
knowing  your  weakness,  will  never  put  you  to  it 
really,  do  you  not  tempt  yourself  by  fancy  and 
an  afliictive  representment.  He  that  tries  him- 
self further  than  he  hath  need  of,  is  like  Pal  se- 
men's shepherd,  who,  fearing  the  foot-bridge 
was  not  strong  enough — to  try  it,  loaded  it  so 
long,  till,  by  his  unequal  trial,  he  broke  that 
which  would  have  borne  a  bigger  burden  than 
he  had  to  carry  over  it.  Some  things  will  better 
suffer  a  long  usage  than  an  unequal  trial. 

But  when  any  man  hath  thus  examined  him- 
self, by  whatsover  signs  he  is  usually  made  con- 
fident, let  him  be  sure  to  make  abatements  of 
5 


50  riEST  MOKDAT  IN  LENT. 

his  confidence,  if  lie  have  fonnd  that  he  hath 
failed  already,  in  despite  of  all  his  arts  and  all 
his  pnrposes. 

He  that  hath  broken  his  word  with  me,  when 
it  was  in  his  power  to  keep  it,  hath  destroyed 
my  confidence  in  him  ;  and  if  we  have  failed  of 
our  promises  to  God  for  many  times,  though  we 
have  great  reason  to  rejoice  in  God's  long-suf- 
fering and  infinite  patience,  yet,  by  any  signs 
which  can  be  given,  we  have  no  reason  to  trust 
ourselves. 

Above  all,  let  us  betake  ourselves,  in  our 
examinations,  to  the  solid  and  material  practices 
of  a  religious  life.  Many  times  we  have  seem- 
ing peace,  when  our  open  enemies  are  changed 
into  false  friends,  and  we  think  ourselves  holy 
persons,  because  we  are  quit  of  oj)en  crimes,  and 
yet  we  are  dying  with  spiritual.  It  is  an  easy 
thing  to  reprove  a  murderer,  and  to  chide  a 
foolish  drunkard;  to  make  a  liar  blush,  and  a 
thief  to  run  away.  But  you  may  be  secretly 
proud,  when  no  man  shall  dare  tell  you  so ;  and 
have  a  secret  envy,  and  yet  keep  company  with, 
the  best  and  most  religious  persons.  A  little 
examination  will  serve  your  turn  to  know  wheth- 
er you  have  committed  adultery,  or  be  a  swear- 
er; but  to  know  whether  your  intentions  be 
holy,  whether  you  love  the  praise  of  men  more 
than  the  praise  of  God,  whether  religious  or 
secular  interest  be  the  dearer,  whether  there  be 


SELF-EXA^nNATIOX.  51 

any  liypocrisj  or  secret  malice  in  your  heart, 
liatli  something  of  more  secret  consideration. 

These  things  must  be  examined;  not  that  it 
can  be  thought  that  a  man  can  ever  be  without 
fault,  but  that  he  must  cherish  none;  he  must 
leave  none  unexamined;  he  must  discover  as 
much  as  he  can,  and  crucify  all  that  he  can  dis- 
cover. He  that  prays  often,  and  reproaches  him 
that  does  not ;  and  gives  alms,  and  secretly  un- 
dervalues him  that  cannot ;  or  is  of  a  right  opin- 
ion, but  curses  him  that  is  of  the  wrong;  or 
leaves  his  ambitious  pursuits  and  vain-glorious 
purposes,  but  sits  at  home  and  is  idle ;  is  like  a 
man  w4io  stands  by  a  fire  in  a  wide  and  a  cold 
room :  he  scorches  on  one  side,  and  freezes  on 
the  other ;  whereas  the  habits  of  virtue  are  like 
a  great  mantle,  and  the  man  is  well  and  warm 
all  over.  And  when  from  crimes  which  brino: 
shame,  a  man  falls  into  spiritual  crimes,  which 
most  men  let  alone,  he  causes  no  joy  before  the 
angels ;  and  because  he  does  not  examine  wisely 
and  judge  severely,  he  is  discerned  by  God,  and 
shall  be  judged,  when  to  be  "judged,"  means 
all  one  with  being  condemned. 

PKAYEK. 

O  Eternal  and  most  Glorious  God,  who  dwell- 
est  on  high,  and  yet  humblest  Thyself  to  behold 
the  things  that  are  in  heaven  and  earth.     Thou 


52  riEST   MOKDAY   IN   LENT. 

hast  searcTied  me,  O  Lord,  and  known  me ; 
Thou  understandest  mj  thoughts  afar  off,  and 
art  acquainted  with  all  my  ways.  Be  pleased 
to  impart  unto  Thy  servant  a  ray  of  thy  heav- 
enly light ;  open  mine  eyes  that  I  may  see  the 
wondrous  things  of  Thy  law.  Set  all  my  sins 
before  my  face,  that  I  may  speedily,  and  earn- 
estly, and  perfectly,  repent  and  forsake  them  all. 
Give  me  a  sight  of  my  infirmities,  that  I  may 
watch  against  them ;  discover  to  me  all  my  evil 
principles,  that  I  may  reform  them ;  and  what- 
sover  is  wanting  in  me,  whereby  I  may  please 
Thee  and  perfect  my  duty,  I  beg  of  Thee  to 
reveal  that  also  unto  me ;  so  that  approving  my 
actions  to  my  conscience,  and  my  conscience  to 
Thy  law,  I  may  be  approved  by  Thee  in  the 
great  day  of  examination  of  all  the  world ; 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.     Amen. 


[ 


FIEST  TUESDAY  m  LENT. 

THE  LOVE  OF  GOD. 

"Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with 
all  thy  Boul,  and  with  all  thy  mind."    Matt.  xxii.  37. 

The  first  commandment  Christ  often  repeated 
and  enforced,  as  being  the  basis  of  all  religion. 
"Hear,  O  Israel,  the  Lord  thy  God  is  one  Lord;" 
and  ''  Thon  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all 
thine  heart ;  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all 
thy  mind,  and  with  all  thy  strength."  This  is 
the  first  commandment;  that  is,  this  compre- 
hends all  that  which  is  moral  and  eternal  in  the 
first  table  of  the  decalogue. 

Love  is  the  greatest  thing  that  God  can  give 
us:  for  Himself  is  love;  and  it  is  the  greatest 
thing  we  can  give  to  God ;  for  it  will  also  give 
ourselves,  and  carry  with  it  all  that  is  oui-s. 
The  Apostle  calls  it  the  bond  of  perfection  ;  it  is 
the  old,  and  it  is  the  new,  and  it  is  the  great 
commandment.  It  does  the  work  of  all  other 
graces,  without  any  instrument  but  its  own  im- 
mediate virtue.  For  love  does  all  things  which 
may  please  the  beloved  person ;  it  performs  all 
6« 


54:  FIRST   TUESDAY   IN"   LENT. 

his  commandments ;  it  does  all  the  intimations 
and  secret  significations  of  his  pleasure ;  it  gives 
away  all  things,  that  so  it  may  advance  the  in- 
terest of  the  beloved  person  ;  it  snflfers  all  things 
that  are  imposed  by  its  beloved,  or  that  can 
happen  for  his  sake,  or  that  intervene  in  his 
service,  cheerfully,  sweetly,  willingly.  Love  is 
also  impatient  of  any  thing  that  may  displace 
the  beloved  person ;  it  contracts  the  same  rela- 
tions, and  marries  the  same  friendsliips  and  the 
same  hatreds :  and  all  affection  to  a  sin  is  per- 
fectly inconsistent  with  the  love  of  God;  for 
that  allows  not  to  itself  any  infirmity  which  it 
strives  not  to  master ;  aiming  at  what  it  cannot 
yet  reach ;  desiring  to  be  of  an  angelical  purity, 
and  of  a  perfect  innocence,  and  a  seraphical 
fervor,  and  fears  every  image  of  offence.  This 
is  the  curiosity  and  niceness  of  Divine  love ;  this 
is  the  fear  of  God,  and  is  the  daughter  and  pro- 
duction of  love. 

The  consideration  of  God's  goodness  and 
bounty,  the  experience  of  those  profitable  and 
excellent  emanations  from  Him,  may  be,  and 
most  commonly  are,  the  first  motive  of  our 
love  ;  and  if  besides  these  we  consider  the  im- 
mensity and  vastness  of  the  love  of  God,  in  giv- 
ing us  His  Son,  in  forgiving  our  sins,  in  adopting 
us  to  glory,  and  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand 
little  accidents  and  instances,  happening  in  the 
doing  every  of  these ;  it  is  not  possible  but,  for 


THE   LOYE   OF   GOD.  55 

SO  great  love,  we  should  give  love  again ;  for 
God,  we  should  give  man  ;  for  felicity,  we 
should  part  with  our  misery. 

It  was  love  that  preserved  the  noblest  of  God's 
creatures  here  below.  Poor  Adam  being  banish- 
ed and  undone,  went  and  lived  a  sad  life  in  the 
mountains  of  India,  and  turned  his  face  and  his 
prayers  towards  Paradise.  Thither  he  sent  his 
sighs ;  to  that  place  he  directed  his  devotions ; 
there  was  his  heart  now,  where  his  felicity  some- 
times had  been.  But  he  knew  not  how  to  return 
thither,  for  God  was  his  enemy ;  and  by  many 
of  His  attributes  opposed  Himself  against  him. 
In  the  midst  of  these  sadnesses,  God  remembered 
His  own  creature,  and  pitied  it.  His  justice 
bowed  down  to  His  mercy ;  and  all  His  power 
passed  into  mercy ;  and  His  omniscience  con- 
verted into  care  and  watchfulness,  into  provi- 
dence and  observation,  for  man's  avail;  and 
Heaven  gave  its  influence  for  man,  and  rained 
showers  for  our  food  and  drink ;  and  the  attri- 
butes and  acts  of  God  sat  at  the  foot  of  mercy, 
and  all  that  mercy  descended  upon  the  head  of 
man. 

Thus  it  was  that  God  punished  us,  and  visited 
the  sin  of  Adam  upon  his  posterity.  He  threat- 
ened we  should  die,  and  so  we  did — but  not  as 
we  deserved.  We  waited  for  death,  and  stood 
sentenced,  and  are  daily  summoned  by  sicknesses 
and  uneasiness ;  and  every  day  is  a  new  reprieve, 


6Q  FIKST   TUESDAY   IN   LENT. 

and  brings  a  new  favor — certain  as  the  revolu- 
tion of  the  sun  upon  that  day ;  and  at  last,  when 
we  must  die  by  the  irreversible  decree,  that  death 
is  changed  into  a  sleep,  and  that  sleep  is  in  the 
bosom  of  Christ,  and  there  dwells  all  peace  and 
security,  and  it  shall  pass  forth  into  glories  and 
felicities. 

Tlie  consideration  of  these  Divine  excellences 
and  mercies  must  be  infinitely  sufficient  to  pro- 
duce in  us  love  to  God,  inviting  us  to  give  Him 
a  whole  and  undivided  afi^ection,  having  love  for 
nothing  else,  but  such  things  which  He  allows, 
and  which  He  commands  or  loves  Himself. 

"  This  is  love,  that  we  keep  His  command- 
ments." 

But  the  difficulty  and  question  of  this  duty  lies 
in  the  intention.  For  it  is  not  enough  to  serve 
God  with  every  capacity,  passion,  and  faculty ; 
but  it  must  be  every  degree  of  every  faculty ; 
all  the  latitude  of  our  will,  all  the  whole  inten- 
tion of  our  passions,  all  the  possibility  and  ener- 
gy of  our  senses  and  understanding  ;  which, 
because  it  is  to  be  understood  according  to  that 
moderate  sentence  and  account  which  God  re- 
quires of  us,  let  us  observe — that  the  intention  of 
the  love  to  which  we  are  obliged,  requires  not 
the  degree  which  is  absolutely  the  greatest,  and 
Bimply  the  most  perfect.  For  there  are  degrees 
of  grace,  every  one  of  which  is  pleasing  to  God, 
and  is  a  state  of  reconciliation  and  atonement. 


THE   LOVE   OF   GOD.  57 

Two  talents  sliall  be  rewarded,  and  so  shall  five, 
both  in  their  proportions.  David  prayed  "  seven 
times  a  day,"  and  Daniel  prayed  "  three  times ;" 
and  both  were  beloved  of  God.  And  our  blessed 
Lord  Himself,  who  never  failed  of  any  degree  of 
His  obligations,  yet  at  some  time  prayed  with 
more  zeal  and  fervor  than  at  other  times,  as  a 
little  before  His  passion.  Since,  then,  at  all 
times  He  did  not  do  actions  of  that  degree, 
which  is  absolutely  the  greatest,  it  is  evident 
that  God's  goodness  is  so  great,  as  to  be  content 
with  such  a  love  which  parts  no  share  between 
Him  and  sin ;  and  leaves  all  the  rest  under  such 
a  liberty,  as  is  only  encouraged  by  those  extra- 
ordinary rewards  and  crowns  proportioned  to 
heroical  endeavors. 

Tlie  advice  which,  in  this  case,  is  safest  to  be 
followed,  is,  that  we  employ  our  greatest  indus- 
try that  we  fall  not  into  sin,  and  actions  of  a  for 
bidden  nature ;  and  then  strive,  by  parts,  and 
steps,  and  with  much  wariness  in  attempering 
our  zeal,  to  superadd  degrees  of  eminence,  and 
observation  of  the  more  perfect  instances  ot 
sanctity. 

Again. — Our  love  to  God  consists,  not  in  any 
one  determinate  degree,  but  hath  such  a  latitude 
as  best  agrees  with  the  condition  of  men,  who 
are  of  variable  natures,  and  different  affections 
and  capacities.  For  some  are  of  malleable  na- 
tures, others  are  morose ;  some  are  of  healthful 


58  FIKST   TUESDAY    IN   LENT. 

and  temperate  constitutions,  others  are  full  of 
fancy,  full  of  appetite ;  some  have  excellent 
leisure  and  opportunities  of  retirement,  others 
are  busy  in  an  active  life,  and  cannot  with  ad- 
vantage attend  to  the  choice  of  the  better  part ; 
some  are  peaceable  and  timorous,  and  some  are 
in  all  instances  serene ;  others  are  of  tumultuous 
and  unquiet  spirits ;  and  these  become  opportu- 
nities of  temptation  on  one  side,  and  on  the 
other,  occasions  of  a  virtue ;  but  every  variety 
of  circumstance  hath  influence  upon  morality, 
and  therefore  their  duties  are  altered,  according 
to  the  infinite  alteration  of  accidents  and  possi- 
bilities. 

Lastly. — Our  love  to  God  must  be  totally  ex- 
clusive of  any  affection  to  sin.  We  must  prefer 
God  as  the  object  of  our  hope ;  we  must  choose 
to  obey  Him  rather  than  man ;  and  we  must  do 
violence  to  our  strongest  passions,  when  they 
once  contest  against  a  Divine  commandment. 

If  our  passions  are  thus  regulated,  let  them  be 
fixed  upon  any  lawful  object  whatsoever  if,  at 
the  same  time,  we  prefer  heaven  and  heavenly 
things ;  that  is,  would  rather  choose  to  lose  our 
temporal  love  than  our  eternal  hopes  ;  then — 
although  we  feel  the  transportation  of  an  earthly 
love  towards  a  wife,  or  child,  or  friend,  actually 
more  pungent  and  sensible  than  passions  of  re- 
ligion are — they  are  less  perfect,  but  they  are 
not  criminal. 


THE   LOVE   OF   GOD.  59 

Only  this. — "We  must  ever  have  a  disposition, 
and  a  mind  prepared  to  quit  our  sensitive  and 
pleasant  objects,  rather  than  quit  a  grace  or 
commit  a  sin. 

The  state  of  the  love  of  God  is  that  which  we 
actually  call  the  state  of  grace. 

When  Christ  reigns  in  us,  and  sin  does  not 
reign,  but  the  spirit  is  quickened,  and  the  lusts 
are  mortiiied ;  when  we  are  habitually  virtuous, 
and  do  acts  of  piety,  temperance,  and  justice — 
frequently,  easily,  cheerfully,  and  with  a  succes- 
sive, constant,  moral,  and  humane  industry,  ac- 
cordino^  to  the  talent  which  God  hath  intrusted 
to  US  in  the  banks  of  nature  and  grace — then  we 
are  in  the  love  of  God — then  we  love  Him  with 
Exl  our  heart. 

PRAYER. 

0  Lord,  my  God !  Fountain  of  all  true  and 
holy  love  ;  who  hast  made  me,  and  preserved  me, 
and  sanctified  me,  that  1  might  love  Thee.  Give 
to  Thy  servant  such  a  love,  that  whatsoever  in 
Thy  service  may  happen  contrary  to  flesh  and 
blood,  I  may  not  feel  it ;  that  when  I  labor,  I 
may  not  be  weary ;  when  I  am  despised,  I  may 
not  regard  it ;  that  humility  may  be  my  sanc- 
tuary, and  mortification  of  my  passions  the  ex- 
ercise of  my  days ;  and  the  service  of  my  God 
the  joy  of  my  soul;   that  loss  to  me  may  be 


60  riKST   TUESDAY   IN   LENT. 

gain,  so  I  win  Christ ;  and  death  itself  the  en- 
trance of  an  eternal  life,  when  I  may  live  with 
Him,  my  Strength  and  my  Kefuge,  my  God  and 
everlasting  Hope,  the  blessed  Saviour  of  the 
world,  Jesus  Christ.     Amen. 


SECO^^D  WEDNESDAY  IN  LENT. 

PRAYER. 

"  Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  prayer,  believing,  ye  shall  receive." 

Matt.  xxi.  22. 

Prayer  is  the  great  secret  of  onr  religion;  the 
effect,  and  the  exercise,  and  the  beginning,  and 
the  promoter  of  all  graces,  and  the  perfection 
and  consummation  of  many.  And  since  prayer 
can  obtain  every  thing,  it  can  open  the  windows 
of  heaven,  and  shut  the  gates  of  hell — it  can 
put  a  holy  constraint  upon  God,  and  detain  an 
angel  till  he  leave  a  blessing — it  can  open  the 
treasures  of  rain,  and  soften  the  iron  ribs  of 
recks,  till  they  melt  into  tears  and  a  flowing 
river — prayer  can  unclasp  the  girdles  of  the 
north,  saying  to  a  mountain  of  ice,  "  Be  thou 
removed  hence,  and  cast  into  the  bottom  of  the 
sea ;" — it  can  arrest  the  sun  in  the  midst  of  his 
course,  and  send  the  swift-winged  winds  upon 
our  errand;  and  all  those  strange  things,  and 
secret  decrees,  and  unrevealed  transactions, 
which  are  above  the  clouds,  and  far  beyond  the 
regions  of  the  stars,  shall  combine  in  ministry 
and  advantage  for  the  praying  man ; — it  cannot 
6 


62  SECOND   WEDNESDAY   IN   LENT. 

be  but  we  sboulcl  feel  less  evil  and  mTicb  more 
good  than  we  do  if  onr  prayers  were  right. 

But  the  state  of  things  is  thus — it  is  an  easy 
duty,  and  there  are  many  promises,  and  we  j 
do  it  often,  and  yet  we  prevail  but  little.  Is  it 
not  a  strange  thing  that  our  friends  die  round 
about  us,  and  in  every  family  some  great  evil 
often  happens,  and  a  Church  shall  suffer  perse- 
cution for  many  years  together  without  remedy, 
and  we  cannot  rescue  the  life  of  a  servant  from 
his  fatal  grave ; — and  still  we  pray,  and  do  noo 
change  the  course  of  Providence  in  a  single 
instance  many  times,  whether  the  instance  be 
of  little  or  great  concernment  ? 

What  is  the  matter?  We  patiently  suffer 
our  prayers  to  be  rejected,  and  comfort  our- 
selves by  saying,  that  it  may  be,  the  thing  is 
not  fit  for  ns ;  or  to  be  denied,  is  better.  This 
is  very  true,  but  not  always  when  we  are  de- 
nied; for  it  is  not  always  in  mercy,  but  in 
anger ;  very  often  we  are  denied,  because  our 
duty  is  ill-performed.  For  if  our  prayers  were 
right,  the  Providence  of  God  would  often  find 
out  ways  to  reconcile  His  great  ends  with  our 
great  desires ;  and  we  might  be  saved  hereafter, 
and  yet  deHvered  here  besides ;  and  sometimes 
we  should  have  heaven  and  prosperity  too,  and 
the  cross  should  be  sweetened,  and  the  days  of 
affliction  should,  for  our  sakes,  be  shortened. 
Let  us  rectify  our  prayers,  and  try  what  the 


PKAYER.  63 

event  will  be ;  it  is  worth  so  mncli,  at  least. 
Kow,  in  this  there  are  several  lines  of  duty,  by 
which  we  can  well  examine  ourselves. 

Examine  whether  or  no  the  form  of  your 
prayer  be  the  rule  of  your  life.  Whosoever 
prays  to  God  while  he  is  in  a  state  or  in  the 
affection  to  sin,  his  prayer  is  an  abomination  to 
God.  God  can  never  accept  an  unholy  prayer, 
and  a  wicked  man  can  never  send  forth  any 
other.  The  waters  pass  through  impure  aque- 
ducts and  channels  of  brimstone ;  and,  there- 
fore, may  end  in  brimstone  and  iire,  but  never 
in  forgiveness  and  the  blessing  of  an  eternal 
charity. 

But  many  times  good  men  pray,  and  their 
prayer  is  not  a  sin :  but  yet  it  returns  empty ; 
because,  although  the  man  may  be,  yet  the 
prayer  is  not,  in  proper  disposition. 

Indifferency  and  easiness  of  desire  is  a  great 
enemy  to  the  good  man's  prayer ;  for  although 
God  doth  very  frequently  give  us  beyond  the 
matter  of  our  desires,  yet  He  does  not  often 
give  us  great  things  beyond  the  spirit  of  our 
desires — beyond  the  quickness,  vivacity,  and 
fervor  of  our  minds.  For  there  is  but  one  thing 
in  the  world  that  God  hates  besides  sin — that 
is,  indifference  and  lukewarmness ;  which '  al- 
though it  hath  not  in  it  the  direct  nature  of 
sin,  yet  it  hath  this  testimony  from  God  that  it 
is  loathsome  and  abominable.     Tlie  reason  of 


64:  SECOND   WEDNESDAY   IN   LENT. 

it  is,  because  liikewarmness,  or  an  indifferent 
spirit,  is  an  nndervaluing  of  God  and  religion. 
He  that  is  lukewarm  always,  understands  the 
better  way,  and  seldom  pursues  it ;  he  hath  so 
much  reason  as  is  sufficient,  but  he  will  not 
obey  it ;  his  will  does  not  follow  the  dictates  of 
his  understanding,  and  therefore  it  is  unnatural. 
It  is  like  the  fantastic  fires  of  the  night,  where 
there  is  light  and  no  heat ;  and  therefore  may 
pass  on  to  the  real  fires  of  hell,  where  there  is 
heat  and  no  light;  and  therefore  though  an  act 
of  lukewarmness  is  only  an  indecency  and  no 
sin,  yet  a  state  of  lukewarmness  is  criminal. 

If  our  prayers  be  for  temporal  things,  I  shall 
not  need  stir  up  your  afi'ections  to  be  passionate 
for  their  purchase.  We  desire  them  greedily, 
we  run  after  them  intemperately,  we  are  kept 
from  them  with  huge  impatience,  we  are  de- 
layed with  infinite  regrets.  But  then  for  spir- 
itual things,  for  the  interest  of  our  souls,  and 
the  affairs  of  the  kingdom,  we  pray  to  God 
with  just  such  a  zeal  as  a  condemned  man 
desires  his  executioner  quickly  to  put  him  out 
of  his  pain,  by  taking  away  his  life.  And  yet 
the  things  of  religion  and  the  Spirit  are  the 
only  things  that  ought  to  be  desired  vehemently 
and  pursued  passionately — they  are  the  pur- 
chases of  Christ's  blood,  and  the  effect  of  His 
continued  intercession  ;  the  fruits  of  His  bloody 
sacrifice,  and  the  gifts  of  His  healing  and  saving 


PRATER.  65 

mercy ;  and  if  we  can  have  fondnesses  for  things 
indifferent  or  dangerous,  our  prayers  upbraid 
our  spirits  when  we  beg  coldly  and  tamely  for 
those  things  for  which  we  ought  to  die ;  which 
are  more  precious  than  the  globes  of  kings,  and 
weightier  than  imperial  sceptres ;  richer  than 
the  spoils  of  the  sea  or  the  treasures  of  the  In- 
dian hills. 

Christ  prayed  with  "loud  cryings,"  and  St. 
Paul  made  mention  of  his  scholars  in  his  pray- 
ers night  and  day.  Let  not  your  offices  and 
the  custom  of  praying  put  thee  in  mind  of  thy 
need,  but  let  thy  need  draw  thee  to  thy  holy 
offices.  Desire  what  you  pray  for  ;  for  certain 
it  is,  you  will  pray  passionately  if  you  desire 
fervently.  Prayers  are  but  the  body  of  the 
bird  ;  desires  are  its  angel's  wings. 

Under  the  title  of  lukewarmness  and  tej)idity 
may  be  comprised  also  these  cautions :  that  a 
good  man's  prayers  are  sometimes  hindered  by 
inadvertency,  sometimes  by  want  of  persever- 
ance. For  inadvertency,  or  want  of  attendance 
to  the  sense  and  intention  of  our  prayers,  is 
certainly  an  effect  of  lukewarmness,  and  a 
certain  companion  and  appendage  to  human 
infirmity ;  and  is  only  so  remedied  as  our 
prayers  are  made  zealous,  and  our  infirmities 
pass  into  the  strengths  of  the  Spirit.  But  con- 
cerning perseverance — the  consideration  is  some- 
thing distinct.  For  when  our  prayer  is  foi  a 
6» 


G6  SECOND   WEDNESDAY   IN   LENT. 

great  matter  and  a  great  necessity  strictly  at- 
tended to,  yet  it  is  without  fruit,  because  the 
desire  lasts  not,  and  the  prayer  lives  like  the 
repentance  of  Simon  Magus,  or  the  trembling  of 
Felix,  or  the  Jews'  devotion  for  seven  days  of 
unleavened  bread  during  the  passover  or  the 
feast  of  tabernacles.  There  are  many  that  pray 
against  a  temptation  for  a  month  together,  and, 
so  long  as  the  prayer  is  fervent,  the  man  con- 
sents not  all  that  while ;  but  when  the  month  is 
gone,  and  the  prayer  is  removed  or  become  less 
active,  then  the  temptation  returns  and  prevails. 
But  let  us  take  heed  ;  for  whatsoever  temptation 
we  can  be  troubled  withal  by  our  natural  tem- 
per, or  by  the  condition  of  our  life,  so  long  as 
we  have  capacity  to  feel  it,  so  long  we  are  in 
danger,  and  must  "  watch  thereunto  with  prayer" 
and  continual  diligence.  And  when  your  temp- 
tations let  you  alone,  let  not  your  God  alone  ; 
but  lay  up  prayers  and  the  blessings  of  a  con- 
stant devotion  against  the  day  of  trial. 

The  prayer  of  a  good  man  is  also  hindered 
from  obtaining  its  effects  by  a  violent  anger, 
and  a  violent  storm  in  the  spirit  of  him  that 
prays.  Prayer  is  the  peace  of  our  spirit,  the 
stillness  of  our  thoughts,  the  evenness  of  recol- 
lection, the  seat  of  meditation,  the  rest  of  our 
cares,  and  the  calm  of  our  tempest :  prayer 
is  the  issue  of  a  quiet  mind,  of  untroubled 
thoughts ;  it  is  the  daughter  of  charity  and  the 


PRAYER.  67 

sister  of  meekness ;  and  he  tliat  prays  to  God 
with  an  angry,  that  is,  with  a  troubled  and  dis- 
composed spirit,  is  like  him  that  sets  up  his 
closet  in  the  out-quarters  of  an  army,  and 
chooses  a  frontier  garrison  to  be  wise  in.  An- 
ger is  a  perfect  alienation  of  the  mind  from 
prayer,  and  therefore  is  contrary  to  that  atten- 
tion which  presents  our  prayers  in  a  right  line 
to  God. 

For  so  I  have  seen  a  lark  rising  from  his  bed 
of  grass,  and  soaring  upwards,  singing  as  he 
rises,  and  hopes  to  get  to  heaven  and  climb 
above  the  clouds ;  but  the  poor  bird  was  beaten 
back  with  the  loud  sighings  of  an  eastern  wind, 
and  his  motion  made  irregular  and  inconstant, 
descending  more  at  every  breath  of  the  tempest 
than  it  could  recover  by  the  libration  and  fre- 
quent weighing  of  his  wings,  till  the  little  crea- 
ture was  forced  to  sit  down  and  pant,  and  stay 
till  the  storm  was  over;  and  then  it  made  a 
prosperous  flight,  and  did  rise  and  sing,  as  if  it 
had  learned  music  and  motion  from  an  angel, 
as  he  passed  sometimes  through  the  air  about 
his  ministries  here  below.  So  is  the  prayer  of 
a  good  man,  when  his  affairs  have  required 
business,  and  his  business  was  matter  of  disci- 
pline, and  his  discipline  was  to  pass  upon  a 
sinning  person,  or  had  a  design  of  charity,  his 
duty  met  with  infirmities  of  a  man,  and  anger 
was  its  instrument ;  and  the  instrument  became 


68  SECOND   WEDNESDAY   IN   LENT. 

stronger  than  the  prime  agent,  and  raised  a 
tempest  and  overruled  the  man.  And  then  his 
prayer  was  broken,  and  his  thoughts  were 
troubled,  and  his  words  went  up  towards  a 
cloud,  and  his  thoughts  pulled  them  back  again, 
and  made  them  without  intention :  and  the  good 
man  sighs  for  his  infirmity,  but  must  be  con- 
tent to  lose  the  prayer ;  and  he  must  recover  it 
when  his  anger  is  removed,  and  his  spirit  is  be- 
calmed— made  even  as  the  brow  of  Jesus,  and 
smooth  like  the  heart  of  God — and  then  it 
ascends  to  heaven  upon  the  wings  of  the  Holy 
Dove,  and  dwells  with  God,  till  it  returns,  like 
the  useful  bee,  laden  with  a  blessing  and  the 
dew  of  heaven. 

Lastly. — The  prayer  of  faith  only  is  available. 
He  is  the  right  supplicant,  but  a  very  rare  one, 
that  hath  no  diffidence  in  his  heart — that  comes 
close  up  to  oYir  Saviour's  rule :  "  Whatsoever 
things  ye  desire  when  ye  pray,  believe  that  ye 
receive  them,  and  ye  shall  have  them."  Yet 
the  Lord  will  not  cast  them  off  who  do  not  reso- 
lutely promise  success  unto  themselves  in  the 
instant  of  their  present  supplications,  but  bear  it 
thus  between  faith  and  doubting :  "  Whether  I 
shall  succeed  in  this  or  that,  I  am  not  confident ; 
but  of  this  I  am  most  assured — that  I  shall  be 
the  better  for  my  prayers." 

Only  as  a  beginning,  attribute  unto  God  that 
He  is  Almighty,  and  can  do  above  all  that  we 


PRAYER.  69 

can  ask  or  think ;  and  remember,  so  mucli  faith, 
so  much  efficacy — so  much  confidence,  so  much 
comfort  in  prayer. 

PRATER. 

O  Holy  and  Eternal  God,  who  hast  com- 
manded us  to  pray  unto  Thee  in  all  our  necessi- 
ties, and  to  give  thanks  unto  Thee  for  all  our 
instances  of  joy  and  blessing,  give  unto  me, 
Thy  servant,  the  spirit  of  prayer  and  supplica- 
tion. Sanctify  my  heart,  that  I  may  be  gra- 
cious in  Thine  eyes ;  grant  me  the  humility  of  a 
servant,  that  I  may  have  the  hope  and  confi- 
dence of  a  son.  May  my  thoughts  be  sober  and 
collected;  and  may  Thy  Holy  Spirit  enkindle 
in  me  great  fervor  and  unwearied  industry; 
that  my  prayers,  being  united  to  the  interces- 
sion of  Thy  Blessed  Son,  and  hallowed  by  His 
merits,  may  ascend  thither  where  Thy  glory 
dwells,  and  from  whence  eternal  benediction 
descends  upon  the  Church. 

Grant  this,  O  Merciful  Lord !  for  His  sake,  our 
only  Mediator  and  Advocate.     Amen. 


seco:nd  thuesday  m  le:^t. 

CONVERSATION. 

**Let  no  corrupt  communication  proceed  out  of  your  mouth,  but 
that  which  is  good  to  the  use  of  edifying."     Ephes.  iv.  29. 

By  the  use  of  the  tongue,  God  hath  distin- 
guished us  from  beasts  ;  and  by  the  well  or  ill- 
using  it,  we  are  distinguished  from  one  another. 
And  though  silence  be  as  innocent  as  death, 
harmless  as  a  rose's  breath  to  a  distant  passen- 
ger, yet  it  is  rather  the  state  of  death  than  life  ; 
while  only  speaking  is  the  instrument  of  spirit- 
ual charity,  and  is  a  glorification  of  God ;  and, 
tlierefore,  since  nature  hath  taught  us  to  speak, 
and  God  requires  it,  and  our  thankfulness  obliges 
us,  and  our  necessities  engage  us ;  it  concerns  us 
to  take  care  that  nature  be  changed  into  grace, 
necessity  into  choice ;  that  while  we  speak  the 
greatness  of  God,  and  minister  to  the  needs  of 
our  neighbor,  and  do  the  works  of  life  and  relig- 
ion— of  society  and  prudence — we  may  be  fitted 
to  bear  a  part  in  the  songs  of  angels,  when  they 
shall  rejoice  at  the  feast  of  the  marriage  supper 
of  the  Lamb. 

We  are  all  naturally  lovers  of  speech,  more 


CONVERSATION.  71 

or  less ;  and  because  there  is  no  rule  or  just 
measure  for  the  quantity,  and  it  is  as  lawful, 
and  sometimes  as  prudent,  to  tell  a  long  story 
as  a  short,  and  two  as  well  as  one,  and  some- 
times ten  as  well  as  two  ;  all  such  discourses  are 
to  take  their  estimate  by  the  m.atter  and  the  end, 
and  can  only  be  altered  by  their  circumstances 
and  appendages.  Yet,  though  no  man  can  say, 
that  much  sj)eaking  is  a  sin,  yet  sin  goes  along 
wdth  it,  and  is  an  ingredient  in  the  whole  com- 
position. For  it  is  impossible  but  a  long  and 
frequent  disco.urse  must  be  served  with  many 
passions,  and  they  are  not  always  innocent.  For 
he  that  loves  to  talk  much,  must  scrape  mate- 
rials too^ether  to  furnish  out  the  scenes  and  lono: 
orations;  and  some  men  furnish  out  their  dia- 
logues with  the  lives  of  others ;  either  they  de- 
tract or  censure,  or  they  flatter  themselves,  and 
tell  their  own  stories  w^th  friendly  circum- 
stances ;  and  the  man  entertains  his  friend  wdth 
his  own  panegyric :  or  the  discourse  looks  one 
way  and  rows  another,  and  more  mind  the  design 
than  its  own  truth. 

And  hence  it  comes,  that  at  every  corner  of 
the  mouth  a  folly  peeps  out,  or  a  mischief  creeps 
in.  A  little  pride  and  a  great  deal  of  vanity 
will  soon  escape,  while  the  man  minds  the  se- 
quel of  his  talk,  and  not  that  ugliness  of  humor, 
wdiich  the  severe  man  that  stood  by  did  observe, 
and  was  ashamed  of.     Do  not  many  men  talk 


72  SECOND   THTJESDAT   IK   LENT. 

themselves  into  anger,  screwing  themselves  np 
with  dialogues  of  fancy,  till  they  forget  the  com- 
pany and  themselves  ?  And  some  men  hate  to 
be  contradicted  or  interrupted :  and  some  men 
being  a  little  conscious,  and  not  striving  to 
amend  by  silence,  they  make  it  worse  by  dis- 
course. A  long  story  of  themselves — a  tedi- 
ous praise  of  another,  collaterally,  to  do  them- 
selves advantage — unseasonable  repetition-  of 
that  which  neither  profits  nor  delights — sconi 
and  reproach  begun  upon  questions  which  con- 
cern neither  of  the  litigants — strivings  for  what 
is  past,  and  for  what  shall  never  be :  these  are 
the  events  of  the  loose  and  unwary  tongue, 
which  are  like  flies  and  gnats  upon  the  margin 
of  a  pool :  they  do  not  sting  like  an  asp,  or  bite 
deep  as  a  bear ;  yet  they  can  vex  a  man  into  a 
fever  and  impatience,  and  make  him  incapable 
of  rest  and  counsel. 

There  is  no  way  for  the  cure  of  this  evil,  but 
the  direct  obeying  of  a  counsel  and  submitting 
to  the  precept,  and  fearing  the  Divine  threaten- 
ings ;  always  remembering,  that  "  of  every  word 
a  man.  sj^eaks,  he  shall  give  account  at  the  day 
of  judgment." 

I  pray  God  show  us  all  a  mercy  in  that  day, 
and  forgive  us  the  sins  of  the  tongue.     Amen. 

We  have  seen  the  vanities  and  evil  fruits  of 

the  easy  talker ;  but  above  all  the  abuses  which 

vev  .dishonored  the  tongues  of  men,  nothing 


CONVERSATION.  73 

more  deserves  the  whip  of  an  exterminating 
angel,  or  the  stings  of  scorpions,  than  profane 
jesting.  He  that  makes  a  jest  of  the  words  of 
Scripture,  or  of  holj  things,  plays  with  thnnder, 
and  kisses  the  mouth  of  a  cannon  just  as  it 
belches  tire  and  death.  Some  men  use  to  read 
Scripture  on  their  knees,  and  many  with  their 
heads  uncovered,  and  all  good  men  with  fear 
and  trembling,  w^ith  reverence  and  grave  atten- 
tion. "  Search  the  Scriptures,  for  therein  ye 
hope  to  have  life  eternal."  And  "  all  Scripture 
is  written  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is  fit  for  iur 
struction,  for  reproof,  for  exhortation,  for  doc- 
trine," not  for  jesting;  but  he  that  makes  that 
use  of  it,  had  better  part  with  his  eyes  in  jest 
and  give  his  heart  to  make  a  tennis  ball. 

"Let  no  corrupt  communication  proceed  out 
of  your  mouth,  but  that  which  is  good  to  the 
use  of  edifying,  that  it  may  minister  grace  to  the 
hearers."  First,  we  are  taught  how  to  restrain 
our  tongues,  and  then  we  are  called  to  employ 
them  in  religion.  "  AYe  must  sj^eak  that  which 
is  good,  that  it  may  minister  grace ;"  that  is, 
favor,  complaisance,  cheerfulness,  and  be  accept- 
able and  pleasant  "  to  the  hearer."  Our  conver- 
sation must  be  as  far  from  sullenness  as  it  ought 
to  be  from  lightness,  and  a  cheerful  spirit  is  the 
best  convoy  for  religion.  And  though  sadness 
does  in  some  cases  become  a  Christian,  as  being 
an  index  of  a  pious  mind,  yet  it  serves  but  one 
7 


74  SECOND   THUKSDAT   IN   LENT. 

end,  being  useful  in  the  only  instance  of  repent- 
ance; and  liatli  done  its  greatest  works,  not 
when  it  weeps  and  sighs,  but  when  it  hates  and 
grows  careful  against  sin.  And  if  friendly  mirth 
can  refresh  the  spirit,  and  take  it  off  from  the 
vile  temptation  of  peevish,  despairing,  uncom- 
plying melancholy,  it  must  needs  be  innocent 
and  commendable,  and  we  may  as  well  be  re- 
freshed by  a  clean  and  a  brisk  discourse  as  by 
the  air  of  Campanian  wines  ;  and  our  faces  and 
our  heads  may  as  well  be  animated  and  look 
pleasant  with  wit  and  friendly  intercourse,  as 
with  the  fat  of  the  balsam-tree  ;  and  such  a  con- 
versation no  wise  man  ever  did  or  ought  to  re- 
prove. 

We  must  speak  "that  which  is  good."  All 
they,  therefore, .  who  will  comply  with  God's 
method  of  graciousness,  and  the  necessities  of 
their  brethren,  must  endeavor  by  all  means,  and 
in  all  their  own  measures  and  capacities,  to  lay 
up  treasures  of  notices,  and  instructions  in  their 
brother's  soul :  that  by  some  argument  or  other, 
they  may  be  met  withal,  and  taken  in  every  cor- 
ner of  their  conversation. 

Our  conversation  must  also  be  "  apt  to  com- 
fort" the  disconsolate,  and  than  this,  men  in 
present  can  feel  no  greater  charity.  For,  since 
half  the  duty  of  a  Christian  in  this  life  consists 
in  the  exercise  of  passive  graces ;  and  the  infi- 
nite variety  of  Providence,  and  the  dissatisfaction 


CONVERSATION,  75 

and  emptiness  that  are  in  things  themselves,  do 
call  us  to  the  trial  and  exercise  of  patience,  even 
in  the  days  of  sunshine  ; — and  much  more  in  the 
violent  storms  that  shake  our  dwellings,  and  make 
our  hearts  tremble ; — God  hath  sent  some  angels 
into  the  world,  whose  office  it  is  to  refresh  the 
sorrows  of  the  poor,  and  to  lighten  the  eyes  of 
the  disconsolate.  He  hath  made  some  creatures 
whose  powers  are  chiefly  ordained  to  comfort ; 
wine  and  oil  and  society,  cordials  and  variety ; 
and  time  itself  is  checkered  with  black  and 
white ;  stay  but  till  to-morrow,  and  your  present 
sorrow  will  be  weary,  and  will  lie  down  to  rest. 

But  this  is  not  all.  The  third  Person  of  the 
Holy  Trinity  is  known  to  us  by  the  name  and 
dignity  of  the  "  Holy  Ghost  the  Comforter,"  and 
God  glories  in  the  appellative  that  He  is  the 
"  Father  of  mercies,  and  the  God  of  all  com- 
fort ;"  and  therefore,  to  minister  in  the  office,  is 
to  become  like  God,  and  to  imitate  the  charities 
of  heaven. 

And  certain  it  is,  that  there  is  nothing  greater, 
for  which  God  made  our  tongues,  next  to  reciting 
His  praises  than  to  minister  comfort  to  a  weary 
soul.  And  what  greater  measure  can  we  have, 
than  that  we  should  bring  joy  to  our  brother, 
who  with  his  dreary  eyes  looks  to  heaven  and 
round  about,  and  cannot  find  so  much  rest  as  to 
lay  his  eyelids  close  together:  than  that  thy 
tongue  should  be  tuned  with  heavenly  accents, 


76  SECOND   THTJESDAY   IN   LENT. 

and  make  the  wearj  soul  to  listen  for  light  and 
ease  ;  and  when  he  perceives  that  there  is  such 
a  thing  in  the  world  as  comfort  and  joy, — to  be- 
gin to  break  out  from  the  prison  of  his  sorrow, 
at  the  door  of  sighs  and  tears,  and  by  little  and 
little  melt  into  showers  and  refreshment  ? 

This  is  glory  to  thy  voice,  and  employment  fit 
for  the  bri*ghtest  angel. 

But  so  have  I  seen  the  sun  kiss  the  frozen 
earth,  which  was  bound  up  with  the  images  of 
death,  and  the  colder  breath  of  the  north ;  and 
then  the  waters  break  from  their  inclosures,  and 
melt  with  joy,  and  run  in  useful  channels  ;  and 
the  flies  do  rise  again  from  their  little  graves  in 
walls,  and  dance  awhile  in  the  air,  to  tell  that 
there  is  joy  within,  and  that  the  great  mother  of 
creatures  will  open  the  stock  of  her  new  refresh- 
ments, become  useful  to  mankind,  and  sing 
praises  to  her  Redeemer.  So  is  the  heart  of  a 
sorrowful  man  under  the  discourses  of  a  wise 
comforter.  He  breaks  from  the  despairs  of  the 
grave,  and  the  fetters  and  chains  of  sorrow  ;  he 
blesses  God,  and  he  blesses  thee,  and  he  feels  his 
life  returning.  For  to  be  miserable  is  death,  but 
nothing  is  life  but  to  be  comforted  ;  and  God  is 
pleased  with  no  music  from  below  so  mu'ch  as 
in  the  thanksgiving-songs  of  relieved  widows— 
of  supported  orphans — of  rejoicing,  and  comfort- 
ed, and  thankful  persons. 

It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  see  a  man  despairing. 


CONYEESATION.  YT 

!N'one  knows  the  sorrow  and  the  intolerable  an- 
guish but  himself ;  and  so  are  all  the  loads  of  a 
wounded  spirit — when  the  staff  of  a  man's 
broken  fortune  bows  his  head  to  the  ground, 
and  sinks  like  an  osier  under  the  violence  of  a 
mighty  tempest.  But  therefore,  in  proportion 
to  this,  I  may  tell  the  excellency  of  the  employ- 
ment, and  the  duty  of  that  charity,  which  bears 
the  dying  and  languishing  soul  from  the  fringes 
of  hell  to  the  seat  of  the  brightest  stars,  where 
God's  Face  shines,  and  reflects  comforts  forever 
and  ever. 

This  is  indeed  discoursing  to  the  edification  oi 
our  needs,  and  the  greatest  and  most  holy  char- 
ily- 

PRATER. 

0  Lord  God,  who  hearest  the  prayers  of  all 
those  that  call  upon  Thee ;  sanctify,  I  beseech 
Thee,  my  heart  and  my  lips,  that  my  words  may 
be  holy  and  profitable,  and  my  conversation  an 
incentive  to  the  ways  of  peace  and  righteousness. 
Deliver  me  from  turbulence  and  anger,  and  grant 
that  in  the  midst  of  a  crooked  and  perverse  gen- 
eration, I  may  be  kept  from  all  slander  and  evil 
speaking,  so  that  I  may  never  draw  down  upon 
me  the  sharp  arrows  of  Thy  vengeance,  and  the 
burning  coals  of  Thy  wrath :  but  that  in  the  eter- 
nal retribution  of  the  saints.  Thou  mayest  deal 
with  Thy  ser^^ant  according  to  Thy  loving  mercy, 
through  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.  Amen. 
7» 


seco:n'd  feiday  in  lent. 

B^VERENCE  FOR  HOLY  DAYS  AND  HOLY  PLACES. 

"  Ye  shall  keep  My  sabbaths  and  reverence  My  sanctuary ;  I  am 
the  Lord."    Levit.  xix.  30. 

So  long  as  the  law  of  the  Sabbath  was  bound 
upon  God's  people,  so  long  God  would  have 
that  to  be  the  solemn  manner  of  confessing  His 
goodness,  His  omnipotence,  and  His  wisdom. 
But  when — the  priesthood  being  changed — there 
was  a  change  also  of  the  law,  the  great  duty  re- 
mained unalterable  in  changed  circumstances. 
"We  are  eternally  bound  to  confess  God  Almighty 
to  be  the  Maker  of  heaven  and  earth,  but  the 
manner  of  confessing  it  is  changed  from  a  Jew- 
ish rite  to  a  Christian  duty.  We  profess  it  iij  our 
creed,  we  confess  it  in  our  lives,  and  we  do  also, 
upon  great  reason,  comply  with  the  Jewish  man- 
ner of  confessing  the  creation,  so  far  as  it  is  in- 
strumental to  a  real  duty  ;  for  we  keep  one  day 
in  seven,  and  so  confess  the  manner  and  circum- 
stance of  the  creation,  and  we  rest  also  that  we 
may  tend  holy  duties. 

But  we  truly  represent  God's  rest  when  we 
confess  and  rejoice  in  God's  works  and  God's 


EEVERENCE  FOR  HOLT  DAYS,  ETC.      79 

gloiy.  This  the  Christian  Church  does  upon 
every  day ;  but  especially  upon  the  Lord's  day, 
which  she  hath  set  apart  for  this  and  all  other 
offices  of  religion,  being  determined  to  this  day 
by  the  resurrection  of  her  dearest  Lord  :  it  be- 
ing the  first  day  of  joy  the  Church  ever  had. 
And  now,  upon  the  Lord's  day,  we  are  not  tied 
to  the  rest  of  the  Sabbath,  but  to  all  the  work 
of  the  Sabbath ;  and  we  are  to  abstain  from 
bodily  labor,  not  because  it  is  a  direct  duty  to 
us,  as  it  was  to  the  Jews,  but  because  it  is  neces- 
sary in  order  to  our  duty,  that  we  attend  to  the 
offices  of  religion.  He  who  keeps  the  day  most 
strictly,  most  religiously,  he  keeps  it  best  and 
most  consonant  to  the  design  of  the  Church,  and 
the  ends  of  religion,  and  the  interests  of  his  soul. 
Deeds  of  charity,  visiting  sick  persons,  hospi- 
tality to  our  poor  neighbors,  friendliness  and  ci- 
vility to  all,  any  act  of  direct  religion  to  God,  or 
of  ease  and  remission  to  servants,  or  whatsoever 
else  is  good  in  manners,  or  in  piety,  or  in  mercy, 
are  acts  of  religion  proper  to  the  day ;  and  al- 
though those  who  labor  hard  in  the  week  must 
be  eased  on  the  Lord's  day,  yet  let  their  refresh- 
ments be  innocent,  and  charitable,  and  of  good 
report,  and  not  exclusive  of  the  duties  of  re- 
ligion. We  must,  however,  preserve  our  Chris- 
tian liberty,  and  not  be  entangled  in  a  yoke  of 
bondage ;  for  even  a  good  action  may  become  a 
snare  to  us,  if  we  make  it  an  occasion  of  scruple, 


80  SECOND   FKIDAT   IN   LENT. 

binding  loads  upon  the  conscience,  not  with  the 
bands  of  God,  but  of  men,  and  of  fancy ;  or  of 
opinion  and  tyranny. 

The  Lord's  day,  being  the  remembrance  of  a 
great  blessing,  must  be  a  day  of  joy,  festivity, 
spiritual  rejoicing,  and  thanksgiving.  Let  us 
not,  therefore,  fail  to  be  present  at  the  public 
hours  and  places  of  prayer,  entering  early  and 
cheerfully.  God  hath  put  His  jN'ame  into  all 
places  appointed  for  solemn  worship.  "  In  all 
places  where  I  record  My  Name,  I  will  come 
imto  thee  and  bless  thee ;"  and  God's  N'ame  is 
not  a  distinct  thing  from  Himself — not  an  idea ; 
the  expression  therefore  cannot  be  understood 
to  any  other  purpose,  but  that  in  such  places  "He 
gives  special  blessings  and  graces,  or  that  in 
those  places  He  appoints  His  'Name,  that  is 
Himself,  especially  to  be  invocated. 

In  consecrated  places  God  Himself  is  present 
to  be  invoked;  that  is,  there  He  is  most  de- 
lighted to  hear  the  prayers  we  make  unto  Him. 
For  all  the  expressions  of  Scripture,  of  God's 
house,  the  tabernacle  of  God,  God's  dwellings, 
putting  His  Name  there.  His  sanctuary — are 
resolved  into  that  saying  of  God  to  Solomon, 
"  I  have  sanctified  the  house  which  thou  hast 
built;"  that  is,  the  house  which  thou  hast  de- 
signed for  My  worship,  I  have  designed  for  youi 
blessing;  w^hat you  have  dedicated,  I  have  accept- 
ed ;  what  you  have  consecrated,  I  have  hallowed. 


ETC.  81 

Let  us  consider,  also,  that  holy  places  being 
the  residence  of  God's  ;N"ame  upon  earth,  God 
hath  sent  His  agents  to  possess  them  in  person 
for  Him.  Churches  and  oratories  are  regions 
and  courts  of  angels ;  and  they  are  there,  not 
only  to  minister  to  the  saints,  but,  also,  they 
possess  them  in  the  right  of  God. 

St.  Paul  makes  use  of  the  argument  to  press 
women  to  modesty  and  humility  in  churches, 
"  because  of  the  angels."  And  upon  the  same 
stock,  St.  Chrysostom  chides  the  people  of  his 
diocese  for  walking,  and  laughing,  and  prating 
in  churches.  "The  church  is  not  a  shop  of 
manufactures  or  merchandise,  but  the  place  of 
angels  and  of  archangels — the  court  of  God, 
and  the  image  or  representment  of  heaven 
itself." 

For  if  we  consider  that  Christianity  is  some- 
thing more  than  ordinary — that  there  are  mys- 
teries in  our  religion,  and  in  none  else — and 
that  God's  angels  are  "  ministering  spirits  for 
our  good ;"  either  we  must  think  very  low  of 
Christianity,  or  that  greater  things  are  in  it 
than  the  presence  of  angels  in  our  churches. 
And  yet,  if  there  were  no  more,  we  should  do 
well  to  behave  ourselves  there  with  the  thoughts 
and  apprehensions  of  heaven  about  us ;  always 
remembering  that  our  business  there  is  an  er- 
rand of  religion,  and  God  is  the  object  of  our 
worshippings ;   and  therefore,  although  by  our 


82  SECOND   FEIDAY   IN    LENT. 

weakness  we  are  fixed  in  the  lowness  of  men, 
yet  because  God's  infinity  is  our  object,  it  were 
very  happy  if  our  actions  did  bear  some  few 
degrees  of  a  proportionable  and  commensurate 
address. 

"  Eeverence  My  sanctuary,"  are  the  words  of 
God  to  His  people.  And  what  God  loves  in  an 
especial  manner,  it  is  most  fit  we  should  esteem 
accordingly.  God  loves  the  gates  of  Sion  more 
than  all  the  dwellings  of  Jacob.  And  it  was  no 
unhandsome  expression  of  reverencing  God's 
sanctuary  that  pious  people  ever  used  in  be- 
stowing costly  and  fair  ornaments  upon  it ;  for 
so  all  the  Christians  did:  as  soon  as  themselves 
came  from  contempt  and  scorn,  they  raised 
Christian  oratories  to  an  equal  portion  of  their 
honor ;  and  by  this  way  they  thought  they  did 
honor  to  God. 

IS'ot  that  a  rich  house,  or  a  costly  ofi'ertory,  is 
better  in  respect  of  God ;  for  to  Him  all  is  alike  ; 
and  be  the  oflfer  never  so  contemptible,  it  is  a 
rich  devotion  that  gives  the  best  we  have.  If 
all  the  wealth  of  the  Levant  were  imited  into 
a  present,  it  were  short  of  God's  infinity;  yet 
such  an  ofiPertory,  or  any  best  we  have,  makes 
demonstration,  that  if  we  had  an  offering  infi- 
nitely better  we  should  give  it,  to  express  our 
love,  and  our  belief  of  God's  infinite  merit  and 
perfection. 

And,  indeed,  since  God  gives  to  us  more  than 


REVERENCE  FOR  HOLT  DATS,  ETC.      83 

enough,  beyond  our  necessities — much  for  our 
conveniency,  much  for  ease,  much  for  repute, 
for  content,  for  pleasure,  for  ornament, — we 
should  deal  unworthily  -with  God  Almighty, 
if  we  limit  and  restrain  our  returns  to  Him,  by 
confining  them  within  the  narrow  bounds  of 
mere  necessity. 

God  hath  nowhere  expressed  that  He  accepts 
of  a  cheaper  offering  but  when  we  are  not  able 
to  give  Him  better.  When  the  people  brought 
offerings  more  than  enough  for  the  tabernacle, 
Moses  restrained  their  forwardness,  by  saying, 
"  it  was  enough ;"  but  yet  commended  the  dis- 
position highly,  and  washed  it  might  be  per- 
petual. But  God  chid  the  people  when  they  let 
His  house  lie  waste,  without  reparation  of  its 
decaying  beauty ;  and  therefore  sent  famines 
upon  the  land,  and  a  curse  into  their  estate, 
because  they  would  not,  by  giving  a  portion  to 
religion,  sanctify  and  secure  the  rest. 

For  I  consider  that  those  riches  and  beauties, 
in  churches  and  religious  solemnities,  which  add 
nothing  to  God,  add  much  devotion  to  us,  and 
much  honor  and  efficacy  to  devotion.  For  since 
impression  is  made  upon  the  soul  by  the  inter- 
vening of  corporal  things,  our  religion  and  our 
devotion  of  the  soul  receives  the  addition  of 
many  degrees  by  such  instruments.  And  it  is 
strange,  that  we  should  bestow  such  great  ex- 
penses to   make   our   own    houses   convenient 


84  SECOND   FKIDAY   IN   LENT. 

and  delectable,  that  we  may  entertain  ourselves 
with  complacency,  and  yet  think  that  religion 
is  not  worth  the  ornament,  nor  our  fancies  fit 
to  be  carried  into  the  choice  and  prosecution 
of  religious  actions,  with  sweetness,  entertain- 
ments, and  fair  propositions.  If  we  say  that 
God  is  not  the  better  for  a  rich  house,  or  a 
costly  service ;  we  may  also  remember  that 
neither  are  we  the  better  for  rich  clothes :  and 
the  sheep  will  keep  us  as  modest,  as  warm,  and 
as  clean  as  the  silk-worm.  And  if  we  reply 
that  they  help  to  the  esteem  and  reputation  of 
our  persons,  and  the  distinction  of  them  from 
the  vulgar ;  how  great  a  shame  is  it  if  we  study, 
by  great  expenses,  to  get  reputation  and  acci- 
dental advantages  to  ourselves,  and  not  by  the 
same  means  to  purchase  reverence  and  esteem 
to  religion ! 

As  in  princes'  courts  the  reverence  to  j^rinces 
is  quickened  and  increased  by  an  outward  state 
and  glory,  so  also  it  is  in  the  service  of  God. 
And  when  I  consider  that  saying  of  St.  Gre- 
gory, that  the  church  is  heaven  within  the  tab- 
ernacle— heaven  dwelling  among  the  sons  of 
men ;  and  remember  that  God  hath  studded  all 
the  firmament,  and  paved  it  with  stars,  because 
He  loves  to  have  His  house  beauteous,  and 
highly  representative  of  His  glory;  I  see  no 
reason  why  we  should  not  "in  earth  do  the 
works  of  heaven." 


EEVEKENCE  FOR  HOLY  DAYS,  ETC.      85 

But  tlie  best  manner  to  reverence  the  sanc- 
tuary, is  by  the  continuation  of  such  actions 
which  gave  it  the  first  title  of  holiness.  "  Ho- 
liness beconieth  Thine  house  forever,"  saith 
David.  The  best  ornament  and  beauty  of  a 
church  is  a  holy  priest  and  a  sanctified  people. 

Every  small  sin  is  an  unwelcome  guest,  and 
is  a  spot  in  those  feasts  of  charity  which  enter- 
tain lis  often  in  God's  house. 

But  there  are  some  (and  all  great  crimes  are 
such)  which  desecrate  the  place,  stop  the  ascent 
of  our  prayers,  obstruct  the  current  of  God's 
blessing,  turn  religion  into  bitterness,  and  de- 
votion into  gall.  He  that  shows  not  the  mer- 
cies of  alms,  of  forgiveness  and  comfort,  is  for- 
bidden to  hope  for  comfort,  relief,  or  forgive- 
ness from  the  hands  of  God.  A  pure  mind  is 
the  best  manner  of  w^orship,  and  the  impurity 
of  a  crime  is  the  greatest  contradiction  to  the 
honor  and  religion  of  holy  places. 

And,  therefore,  let  us  imitate  the  precedent 
of  the  most  religious  of  kings :  "I  will  wash  my 
hands  in  innocence,  O  Lord,  and  so  will  I  go  to 
Thine  altar;"  always  remembering  those  final 
words  of  St.  Paulj  "  He  that  defiles  a  temple, 
him  will  God  destroy." 

PKAYEK. 

O  Eternal  God,  who  dwellest  not  in  temples 
made  with  hands,  and  yet  art  pleased  to  mani- 

8 


86  SECOND  FRrDAY  IN  LENT. 

fest  Thy  presence  amongst  the  sons  of  men ; 
make  my  body  and  soul  to  be  a  holy  temple, 
purified  for  the  habitation  of  Thy  Holy  Spirit. 
Cast  out  of  it,  O  Lord !  all  worldly  aifections, 
all  covetous  desires ;  let  it  be  a  place  of  prayer 
and  holy  meditation;  of  pure  intentions,  and 
zealous  desires  of  pleasing  Thee  :  so  that,  loving 
Thee  above  all  the  world,  and  worshipping  Thee 
continually  in  humblest  adoration,  I  may  be  pre- 
pared to  glorify  Thee  to  all  eternity  in  heaven, 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.     Amen. 


SECOI^D  SATUKDAY  IN  LEI^T. 

OBEDIENCE. 
"To  obey  is  better  than  sacrifice."    1  Sam.  xv.  22. 

There  are  certain  excellences,  either  of  habit 
or  consideration,  which  spiritual  persons  use  to 
call  general  ways ;  being  a  dispersed  influence 
into  all  the  parts  of  good  life.  Such  are  the 
consideration  of  the  Divine  Presence,  the  ex- 
ample of  Jesus,  right  intention ;  and  such  also 
is  the  virtue  of  obedience,  which  perfectly  unites 
our  actions  to  God,  and  conforms  us  to  the  Di- 
vine "Will,  which  gives  quietness  and  tranquillity 
to  the  spirit,  and  is  an  antepast  of  paradise, 
where  their  jubilee  is  the  perpetual  joys  of  obe- 
dience, and  their  doing  is  the  enjoying  of  the 
Divine  pleasure. 

But,  by  obedience,  I  do  not  here  mean  the 
exterior  execution  of  the  work  ;  but  the  sacrifice 
of  our  proper  will  to  God — a  choosing  the  duty, 
because  God  commands  it.  This  was  the  obe- 
dience the  holy  Jesus  paid  to  His  heavenly  Fa- 
ther— so  voluntary,  that  it  was  meet  to  Him  to 
do  His  Father's  will:  and  we  also  shall  best 
know  that  our  will  is  in  the  obedience,  by  our 


88  SECOND    SATURDAY   IN   LENT. 

prompt  undertakings,  by  onr  cheerful  mana- 
gings,  by  our  swift  execution ;  for  all  degrees  of 
delay  are  degrees  of  unwillingness.  And,  there- 
fore, he  who  deliberates  beyond  his  first  oppor- 
tunity brings  fire  and  wood,  but  wants  a  lamp 
for  the  sacrifice;  and,  unless  he  ofi'er  up  his 
Isaac,  his  beloved  will,  he  hath  no  ministry 
prepared  for  God's  acceptance. 

But  besides  the  willingness  to  do  the  acts  of 
express  command,  the  readiness  to  do  the  inti- 
mation and  tacit  significations  of  God's  pleasure 
is  the  best  testimony  in  the  world  that  our  will 
is  in  the  obedience.  And,  therefore,  God  hath 
furnished  us  with  instances  of  uncommanded 
piety,  to  be  a  touchstone  of  our  obedieiice.  He 
that  does  but  his  endeavor  about  the  express 
commands,  hath  a  bridle  in  his  mouth,  and  is 
restrained  by  violence ;  but  a  willing  spirit  is 
like  a  greedy  eye,  devours  all  it  sees,  and  hopes 
to  make  some  proportionable  returns  and  com- 
pensations of  duty  for  his  infirmity,  by  taking  in 
the  intimations  of  God's  pleasure. 

But  God  requires  that  our  obedience  should 
have  another  excellency  to  make  it  a  becoming 
present  to  the  Divine  acceptance ;  it  must  be 
universal.  We  must  do  all  that  lies  before  us, 
all  that  is  in  our  hand.  A  right  heart  alone 
will  not  do;  or,  rather,  the  heart  is  not  right 
when  the  hand  is  wrong.  It  is  strange  that  this 
should  be  needful  to  be  pressed  among  Chris- 


OBEDIENCE.  89 

tians;  but  so  it  is.  Upon  a  pretence  that  we 
must  serve  God  with  the  mind,  some  are  such 
fools  as  to  think  that  it  is  enough  to  have  a  good 
meaning.  And  because  we  must  serve  God  in 
the  spirit,  therefore  they  will  not  serve  God  with 
their  bodies ;  and  because  they  are  called  upon 
to  have  the  power  and  life  of  godliness,  they 
abominate  all  external  works  as  mere  forms; 
and  because  the  true  fast  is  to  abstain  from  sin, 
therefore  they  will  not  abstain  from  meat  and 
di-ink  even  when  they  are  commanded ;  which 
is  just  as  if  a  Pharisee,  being  taught  the  circum- 
cision of  the  heart,  should  refuse  to  circumcise 
his  flesh ;  and  as  if  a  Christian,  being  instructed 
in  the  excellences  of  spiritual  communion,  should 
wholly  neglect  the  sacramental. 

Let  us  give  no  indulgence  to  ourselves  to 
recede  from  a  rule  in  any  matter  whatsoever ; 
for  the  veriest  minute  of  obedience  is  worth  our 
attention,  as  being  by  God  esteemed  the  trial  of 
our  obedience  in  a  greater  affair ;  and  he  that 
will  prevaricate  when  the  matter  is  trifling,  and, 
by  consequence,  the  temptations  to  it  weak  and 
impotent  and  soon  confuted,  will  think  he  may 
better  be  excused  when  the  temptations  are  vio- 
lent and  importunate ;  as  it  commonly  happens 
in  affairs  of  greater  importance.  And  it  is  no 
small  temptation  of  the  devil,  soliciting  of  us 
not  to  be  curious  of  scruples  and  grains,  nor  to 
disturb  our  peace  for  lighter  disobediences ;  per- 

8- 


90  SECOND    SATURDAY   IN   LENT. 

suading  us  that  something  must  be  indulged  to 
public  manners,  something  to  the  civilities  of  so- 
ciety, something  to  nature :  for  although  smaller 
disobediences  expressed  in  slight  misbecoming 
actions,  when  they  come  by  surprise,  are  not 
esteemed  as  instruments  of  separation  from 
God's  love ;  yet,  when  they  come  by  design, 
and  are  acted  with  knowledge  and  deliberation, 
the  malice  of  the  agent  heightens  the  smallness 
of  the  act,  and  makes  up  the  iniquity. 

He  that  extends  his  recreation  an  hour  beyond 
the  limits  of  Christian  prudence  is  accountable 
to  God  for  that  improvidence  and  waste  of 
time ;  but  he  that  shall  misspend  a  day,  and, 
because  that  sin  is  not  scandalous,  shall  throw 
away  a  week,  still  adding  to  the  former  account 
upon  the  first  stock,  will  at  last  be  answerable 
for  a  habit  of  idleness,  and  will  have  contracted 
a  vain  and  impertinent  spirit. 

Lastly. — It  concerns  the  niceness  and  pru- 
dence of  obedience  to  God,  to  stand  at  farther 
distance  from  a  vice  than  we  usually  attend  to. 
If  you  will  be  secure,  remove  your  tent — dwell 
farther  off.  Christ's  commandments  extend  our 
duty,  not  only  to  what  is  named  and  what  is 
not  named  of  the  same  nature  and  design,  but 
that  we  abstain  from  all  such  things  as  are  like 
to  sin.  I  cannot  say  that  this  dress,  or  this  gar- 
ment, or  this  standing  for  place,  is  the  direct  sin 
of  pride  ;  but  I  am  sure  it  looks  like  it  in  some 


OBEDIENCE.  91 

at  least,  the  letting  it  alone  is  much 
better,  and  is  veiy  like  humility.  And  certain 
it  is,  that  he  is  dull  of  hearing  who  understands 
not  the  voice  of  God,  unless  it  be  clamorous  in 
an  express,  and  a  loud  commandment ;  pro- 
claimed with  trumpets  and  clarions  upon  Mount 
Sinai:  but  a  willing  and  an  obedient  ear  under- 
stands the  still  voice  of  Christ,  and  is  ready  to 
obey  His  meaning  at  half  a  word ;  and  that  is 
the  righteousness  evangelical. 

The  Christian  that  resolves  to  do  every  thing 
that  is  lawful  will  many  times  run  into  danger 
and  inconvenience,  because  the  utmost  extremity 
of  lawful  is  so  near  to  that  which  is  unlawful, 
that  he  will  often  pass  into  unlawful  undiscern- 
ingly. 

Virtues  and  vices  have  not,  in  all  their  in- 
stances, a  great  landmark  set  between — ^like 
warlike  nations,  separate  by  prodigious  w^alls, 
vast  seas,  and  portentous  hills;  but  they  are 
oftentimes  like  the  bounds  of  a  parish — men 
are  fain  to  cut  a  cross  upon  the  turf,  and  make 
little  marks  and  annual  perambulations  for  me- 
morials. So  it  is  in  lawful  and  unlawful ;  by  a 
little  mistake  a  man  may  be  greatly  ruined. 

He  that  will  do  all  he  thinks  he  may  lawfully 
had  need  have  an  infallible  guide  always  by 
him,  who  should,  without  error,  be  able  to  an- 
swer all  cases  of  conscience  which  will  happen 
every  day  in  a  life  so  careless  and  insecure. 


92  SECOND    SATUBDAY   IN   LENT. 

Beside  all  this,  lie  that  thus  stands  on  his  terms 
with  God,  and  so  carefully  husbands  his  dutj, 
and  thinks  to  make  so  good  a  market  of  his 
obedience  that  he  will  quit  nothing  which  he 
thinks  he  may  lawfully  keep,  shall  never  be  ex- 
emplar in  his  life,  and  shall  never  grow  in  grace, 
and  therefore  shall  never  enter  into  glory. 

But  now,  because  I  ought  not  to  conceal  any 
thing  from  you  that  must  secure  our  title  to  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  there  is  this  to  be  added — 
that  in  keeping  of  God's  commandments,  every 
degree  of  internal  duty  is  under  the  command- 
ment, and  therefore,  whatever  we  do,  we  must 
do  it  as  well  as  we  can.  Now  he  that  does  his 
duty  with  the  biggest  affection  he  can,  will  also 
do  all  that  he  can  ;  and  he  can  never  know  that 
he  hath  done  what  is  commanded,  unless  he 
does  all  that  is  in  his  power. 

A  Christian  is  to  take  his  measures  of  duty 
according  to  the  rate  of  his  contrition  and  his 
love,  his  religion  and  his  fear,  his  danger  and 
his  expectation.  And  let  him  measure  wisely  ; 
— his  sorrow  pouring  in,  and  his  fears  thrusting 
it  down,  and  it  were  very  well  if  his  love  also 
would  make  it  run  over. 

For  deceive  not  yourselves,  there  is  no  meas- 
ure but  this :  so  much  good  as  a  man  does,  or 
60  much  as  he  would  do,  if  he  could ;  so  much 
of  religion  and  so  much  of  repentance  he  hath, 
and  no  more. 


OBEDIENCE.  93 

PRAYER. 

O  Holy  and  most  Merciful  Saviour,  who  wast 
obedient  even  to  the  death  of  the  cross,  teach 
me  to  show  forth  mj  thankfulness  by  obeying 
Thee,  and  walking  in  Thy  laws.  Let  me  not 
follow  my  own  imaginations  ;  but  may  my 
heart  humble  itself  to  the  wisdom  of  Thy  com- 
mandments. Grant  me  to  be  indifferent  in  my 
desires,  and  submissive  to  the  will  of  those 
whom  Thou  hast  set  over  me ;  so  that,  resigning 
myself  to  Thy  good  pleasm-e,  Thou  mayest  hear 
me  when  the  storms  of  trouble  fall  upon  me, 
and  bring  me,  through  the  merits  of  Thine  own 
obedience,  to  the  glories  of  Thy  eternal  king- 
dom.    Amen. 


SECOND  SUNDAY  IN  LENT. 

THE  FIRST  TEMPTATION. 

"And  when  the  tempter  came  to  Him,  he  said,  If  thou  be  the 
Son  of  God,  command  that  these  stones  be  made  bread." 

Matt.  iv.  3. 

The  devil's  first  temptation  of  our  Blessed 
Lord  was  upon  the  instances  and  first  necessities 
of  nature.  Christ  was  hungry,  and  the  devil 
invited  Him  to  break  His  fast  upon  the  expense 
of  a  miracle,  by  turning  the  stones  into  bread. 
But  the  answer  Jesus  made  was  such  as  taught 
us,  that  since  the  ordinary  providence  of  God  is 
sufficient  for  our  support,  extraordinary  ways  of 
satisfying  necessities  are  not  to  be  undertaken  ; 
but  God  must  be  relied  upon,  His  time  attend- 
ed, His  manner  entertained,  and  His  measure 
thankfully  received.  Jesus  refused  to  be  re- 
lieved, and  denied  to  manifest  the  Divinity  of 
His  person,  rather  than  He  would  do  an  act 
which  might  be  expounded  a  disreputation  of 
God's  Providence.  And  therefore  it  is  an  im- 
provident care,  and  impious  security,  to  take 
evil  courses  and  use  vile  instruments  to  furnish 
our  table  and  provide  for  our  necessities. 

God  will  certainly  give  us  bread ;  and  till  He 


THE   FIEST  TEMPTATION.  95 

does,  we  can  live  in  the  light  of  His  counte- 
nance, by  the  refreshment  of  His  promises ;  for  if 
God  gives  not  provisions  into  our  granaries,  He 
can  feed  us  out  of  His  own — that  is,  out  of  the 
repositories  of  charity.  If  the  flesh-pots  be  re- 
moved. He  can  also  alter  the  appetite;  and 
when  our  stock  is  spent,  He  can  also  lessen  the 
necessity ;  or  if  that  continues,  He  can  drown 
the  sense  of  it  in  a  deluge  of  patience  and  resig- 
nation. Every  word  of  God's  mouth  can  create 
a  grace,  and  every  grace  can  supply  two  ne- 
cessities, both  of  the  body  and  the  spint ;  by 
the  comforts  of  this  to  support  that,  that  they 
may  bear  each  other's  burdens  and  alleviate  the 
pressure. 

But  the  devil  is  always  prompting  us  to 
change  our  stones  into  bread,  our  sadnesses  into 
sensual  comfort,  our  drynesses  into  inundations 
of  fancy  and  exterior  sweetnesses.  For  he 
knows  that  the  ascetic  tables  of  mortification 
and  the  stones  of  the  desert  are  more  health- 
ful than  the  fulnesses  of  voluptuousness  and 
the  corn  of  the  valleys.  He  cannot  endure 
we  should  live  a  life  of  self-denial.  If  he  can 
get  us  but  to  satisfy  our  senses,  and  a  little 
more  freely  to  please  our  natural  desires,  he 
then  hath  a  fair  field  for  the  battle ;  but  so  long 
as  we  force  him  to  fight  in  hedges  and  morasses, 
encircling  and  crowding  up  his  strengths  into 
disadvantages,  by  our  stone  walls — our  hard- 


96  SECOJSTD   SUNDAY   IN   LENT. 

nesses  of  discijjjline  and  rudenesses  of  mortifi- 
cation; we  can  with  more  facilities  repel  his 
flatteries,  and  relieve  fewer  incommodities  of 
spirit. 

But  thus  the  devil  will  abuse  us  by  the  im- 
potency  of  our  natural  desires;  and  therefore 
let  us  go  to  God  for  satisfaction  of  our  wishes. 
God  can,  and  does,  when  it  is  good  for  us, 
change  our  stones  into  bread  ;  for  He  is  a  Father 
BO  merciful,  that,  "  if  we  ask  Him  a  fish,  He  will 
not  give  us  a  scorpion ;"  "  if  we  ask  Him  bread, 
He  will  not  give  us  a  stone ;"  but  will  satisfy- 
all  our  desires  by  ministrations  of  the  Spirit; 
• — making  stones  to  become  our  meat,  and  tears 
our  drink ;  which,  although  they  are  unpleasant 
and  harsh  to  natural  appetites,  yet,  by  the  oper- 
ation and  influences  of  God's  Holy  Spirit,  they 
are  made  instruments  of  health,  and  life,  and 
salvation. 

PKATEE. 

O  Almighty  Father  of  men  and  angels,  who 
hast,  of  Thy  great  bounty,  provided  plentifully 
for'  all  mankind,  that  we  may  praise  Thee,  and 
rejoice  in  Thy  mercies ;  be  gracious  unto  Thy 
servant  yet  more,  and  teach  me  to  hunger  after 
the  food  of  angels,  and  account  it  meat,  and 
drink,  and  pleasure  to  do  Thy  will,  so  that  in 
the  strength  of  Tliy  grace  I  may  walk  in  the 


THE   FIRST   TEMPTATION.  97 

patlia  of  Thy  commandments  all  the  days  of  my 
life,  and  finally  be  made  a  partaker  of  my  Re- 
deemer's glory  through  the  same  Jesus  Chi-ist 
our  Lord.     Amen. 


SECOND  MOISTDAY  IN"  LENT 

TEMPER. 

"  Be  ye  angry,  and  sin  not ;  let  not  the  sun  go  down  upon  your 
wrath."    Ephks.  iv.  26. 

^'  Thou  shalt  do  no  murder."  So  it  was  said 
to  tliem  of  old  time.  He  that  kills  shall  be 
guilty  of  judgment;  that  is,  he  is  to  die  by 
the  sentence  of  the  judge.  To  this  Christ  makes 
an  appendix:  "But  I  say  unto  you,  He  that 
is  angry  with  his  brother  without  a  cause  shall 
be  in  danger  of  the  judgment."  This  addition 
of  our  blessed  Saviour,  as  all  the  other,  which 
are  severer  explications  of  the  law  than  the 
Jews  admitted,  was  directed  against  the  vain 
and  imperfect  opinion  of  the  lawyers,  who 
thought  to  be  justified  by  their  external  works  ; 
supposing,  if  they  were  innocent  in  matter  of 
fact,  God  would  require  no  more  of  them  than 
man  did. 

But  our  blessed  Saviour  tells  them  that  such 
an  innocence  is  not  enough.  God  requires  more 
than  exterior  piety,  placing  justice  not  in  legal 
innocency,  or  not  being  condemned  in  judgment 
of  the  law  and  human  judicature;  but  in  the 


TEMPER.  99 

rigliteoiisness  of  the  spirit  also :  for  the  first 
acquits  us  before  man,  but  by  this  we  shall  be 
held  upright  in  judgment  before  the  Judge  of 
all  the  world.  And,  therefore,  besides  absti- 
nence from  murder  or  actual  /WOunds,  Christ 
forbids  all  *' anger  without  cause  against  our 
brother ;"  that  is,  against  any  man. 

By  which  not  the  first  motions  are  forbidden, — 
the  twinklings  of  the  eye,  as  the  philosophers 
call  them  ;  for  it  is  impossible  to  prevent  them, 
unless  we  could  give  ourselves  a  new  nature, 
any  more  than  we  can  refuse  to  wink  with  our 
eye  when  a  sudden  blow  is  offered  at  it.  But 
by  frequent  and  habitual  mortification,  and  by 
continual  watchfulness,  and  standing  in  readi- 
ness against  all  inadvertencies,  we  shall  lessen 
the  inclination,  and  account  fewer  sudden  irrep- 
tions.  A  wise  and  meek  person  should  not 
kindle  at  all,  but  after  violent  and  great  col- 
lision ;  and  then,  if  like  a  flint  he  sends  a  spark 
out,  it  must  as  soon  be  extinguished  as  it  shows, 
and  cool  as  soon  as  sparkle. 

The  causes  of  allowable  anger  are,  when  we 
see  God  dishonored,  or  a  sin  committed,  or  any 
irregularity  or  fault  in  matter  of  government; 
a  fault  against  the  laws  of  a  family  or  good 
manners,  disobedience  or  stubbornness.  In  such 
cases  we  may  "  be  angry."  But  then  we  may 
also  sin,  if  we  exceed  in  time,  or  measure  of 
degree. 


100  SECOND   MONDAY   IN   LENT. 

For  altliough  to  be  angry  at  the  presence  of 
certain  objects  is  natural,  and  therefore  is  in- 
different, because  He  that  is  an  essential  enemy 
to  sin  never  made  sin  essential  to  a  man ;  yet, 
unless  it  be  also  transient,  and  pass  off  at  tlie 
command  of  reason  and  religion,  it  quickly  be- 
comes criminal.  The  meaning  is,  that  it  be  no 
more  but  a  transient  passion,  not  permanent  at 
all;  but  that  the  anger  against  the  man  pass 
into  indignation  against  the  crime,  and  pity  of 
the  person,  till  the  pity  grows  up  into  endea- 
vors to  help  him. 

The  measure  of  the  degree  is  to  be  estimated 
by  human  prudence,  that  it  exceed  not  the 
value  of  the  cause.  Moses'  anger,  though  for 
God  and  religion,  was  reproved,  because  it  went 
forth  into  a  violent  and  troubled  expression, 
and  showed  the  degree  to  be  inordinate.  For 
it  is  in  this  passion  as  in  lightning,  which  if  it 
only  breaks  the  cloud  and  makes  a  noise,  shows 
a  tempest  and  disturbance  in  nature,  but  the 
hurt  is  none ;  but  if  it  seizes  upon  a  man,  or 
dwells  upon  a  house,  or  breaks  a  tree,  it  be- 
comes a  judgment  and  a  curse. 

He  who  is  angry  with  a  servant's  unwariness 
or  inadvertency,  or  the  remissness  of  a  child's 
spirit  and  application  to  his  studies,  or  on  any 
sudden  displeasure,  it  is  not  in  any  sense  guilty 
of  prevaricating  the  .sixth  commandment,  un- 
less, besides  the  object,  he  add  an  inequality  of 


TEMPER.  101 

degree,  or  unliandsome  circumstance  or  adjunct. 
But  since  to  reprove  a  sinning  brother  is,  at  the 
best,  but  an  unwelcome  and  invidious  employ- 
ment, though  it  may  also  be  understood  to  be 
full  of  charity ;  yet,  therefore,  we  must  not 
make  it  to  be  hateful  by  adding  reproach,  scorn, 
violent  expressions,  scurrility,  derision,  or  bitter 
invectives.  "Wlien  our  dearest  Lord  reproved 
St.  Peter,  He  looked  upon  him  when  the  sign 
was  given  with  the  crowing  of  the  cock,  and  so 
chid  him  into  a  shower  of  penitential  tears. 

The  sum  is  this :  there  are  no  other  bounds 
to  hallow,  or  to  allow  and  legitimate  anger  ;  but 
that,  1st,  the  cause  be  religion,  or  matter  of 
government :  2d,  that  the  degree  of  the  anger, 
in  prudent  accounts,  be  no  bigger  than  the 
cause :  3d,  that  if  it  goes  forth,  it  be  not  ex- 
pressed in  any  action  of  uncharitableness,  or 
unseasonable  violence  :  4:thj  whether  it  goes  forth 
or  abides  at  home,  it  must  not  dwell  long  any- 
where ;  nor  abide  in  the  form  of  a  burning  coal, 
but  at  the  most  of  a  thin  flame,  thence  passing 
into  air,  salutary  and  gentle,  fit  to  breathe  but 
not  to  blast. 

The  remedies  against  anger,  which  are  pre- 
scribed by  masters  of  spiritual  life,  are  partly 
taken  from  rules  of  prudence,  partly  from  piety, 
and  more  precise  rules  of  religion.  Do  not 
easily  entertain,  or  at  all  encourage,  or  willingly 
hear,  or  promptly  believe,  tale-bearers  and  re- 
9« 


102  SECOND   MONDAY   IN   LENT. 

porters  of  other  men's  faults :  for  oftentimes  we 
are  set  on  fire  by  an  ignis  fatuus,  a  false  flame, 
and  an  empty  story.  Find  out  reasons  of  ex- 
cuse, to  alleviate  and  lessen  the  ignorances  of  a 
friend,  or  carelessnesses  of  a  servant.  Extirpate 
petty  curiosities  of  apparel,  lodging,  diet,  and 
learn  to  be  indifferent  in  circumstances ;  and  if 
you  be  apt  to  be  transported  with  such  little 
things,  do  some  great  thing,  that  shall  cut  off 
their  frequent  intervening.  A  gentle  answer  is  an 
excellent  hinderance  to  the  progresses  of  anger, 
whether  in  thyself  or  others.  For  anger  is  like 
the  waves  of  a  troubled  sea :  when  it  is  cor- 
rected with  a  soft  reply,  as  with  a  little  strand, 
it  retires,  and  leaves  nothing  behind  it  but  froth 
and  shells  ;  no  permanent  mischief. 

It  is  certain,  peace  was  so  designed  by  the 
Holy  Jesus  that  He  framed  all  His  laws  in  com- 
pliance to  that  design ;  and  whosoever  obeys  these 
laws  bears  with  the  infirmities  of  his  relatives 
and  society,  seeks  with  sweetness  to  remedy 
what  is  ill,  and  to  prevent  what  it  may  produce. 

Let  us  be  careful  therefore  to  stifle  little  things, 
that  as  fast  as  they  spring  they  be  cut  down  and 
trod  upon ;  for  if  they  be  suffered  to  grow  by 
numbers,  they  make  the  spirit  peevish  and  the 
society  troublesome.  In  the  frequent  little  acci- 
dents of  a  family,  a  man's  reason  cannot  always 
be  awake ;  and  when  his  discourses  are  imper- 
fect, and  a  trifling  trouble  makes  him  yet  more 


TEMPER.  103 

restless,  he  is  soon  betrayed  to  the  violence  of 
2:)assion.  Let  us  not  therefore  tempt  each  other's 
affections  when  they  are  in  that  state  of  danger, 
and  at  all  times  let  us  be  sure  to  abstain  from  all 
those  things  which  by  experience  or  observation 
w^e  find  to  be  contrary  to  each  other.  They  that 
govern  elephants  never  appear  before  them  in 
white  ;  and  the  masters  of  bulls  keep  from  them 
all  garments  of  blood  and  scarlet,  as  knowing 
that  they  will  be  impatient  of  civil  usage  and 
discipline  when  their  natures  are  provoked  by 
their  proper  antipathies. 

But  in  the  way  of  more  strict  religion,  it  is 
advised,  that  he  who  would  cure  his  anger 
should  pray  often. 

It  is  St.  Austin's  counsel  to  the  Bishop  Auxil- 
ius,  that,  like  the  Apostles  in  a  storm,  we  should 
awaken  Christ,  and  call  to  Him  for  aid,  lest  we 
shipwreck  in  so  violent  passion  and  impetuous 
disturbance. 

Propound  to  thyself  the  example  of  meek  and 
patient  persons,  remembering  always  that  there 
is  a  family  of  meek  saints,  of  which  Moses  is  the 
precedent ;  a  family  of  patient  saints  under  the 
conduct  of  Job.  Every  one  in  the  mountain  of 
the  Lord  shall  be  gathered  to  his  own  tribe,  to 
his  own  family,  in  the  great  day  of  jubilee  :•  and 
the  angry  shall  perish  with  the  effects  of  anger ; 
and  peevish  persons  shall  be  vexed  with  the  dis- 
quietness  of  an  eternal  worm,  and  sting  of  a  vex- 


104:  SECOND   MONDAY   IN   LENT. 

atious  conscience,  if  they  suffer  here  the  trans- 
portations and  saddest  effects  of  an  unmortified, 
habitual,  and  prevailing  anger. 

He  that  lives  charitably,  whose  employment 
is  religion,  whose  affections  are  fear  and  love, 
that  man  can  long  and  pray  for  the  hastening  of 
the  coming  of  the  day  of  the  Lord.  For  the  por- 
tion of  the  good  at  that  day  shall  be  so  great,  that 
after  all  the  labor  of  love  and  enduring  affronts, 
and  the  continual  cares  of  our  whole  duration  and 
abode  here,  it  rewards  it  all  and  gives  infinitely 
more. 

It  is  a  day  of  recompenses,  in  which  all  our 
sorrows  shall  be  turned  into  joy — the  cross  into 
a  crown ;  loss,  and  affronts,  and  inconveniences, 
into  sceptres,  and  hymns,  and  rejoicings,  and 
hallelujahs;  and  such  good  things  which  are  fit 
for  us  to  hope,  but  too  great  for  us  to  discourse 
of  while  we  see  "  as  in  a  glass  darkly"  and  im- 
perfectly. 

PEATEK. 

O  Almighty  Judge  of  men  and  angels,  whose 
anger  is  the  minister  of  justice,  not  lightly  arising, 
but  falling  heavily  ;  give  to  Thy  servant  a  meek 
and  gentle  spirit,  that  I  may  be  slow  to  anger, 
and  easy  to  mercy  and  forgiveness.  Let  me  not 
be  moved  with  every  trifling  mistake  in  the  con- 
versation and  intercourse  of  others ;  but  may  my 


TEMPER.  105 

anger  ever  be  upon  a  just  cause,  measured  with 
moderation,  and  expressed  with  charit j.  Teach 
me  always  to  be  ready  to  confess  my  own  errors, 
apt  to  make  amends,  and  desirous  to  be  recon- 
ciled. Let  no  sickness  or  disappointment,  no 
employment  or  weariness,  render  me  ungentle 
or  unthankful  to  them  that  minister  to  me  ;  but 
in  all  things  make  me  like  unto  my  Saviour — 
humble,  merciful,  and  meek ;  that  so  I  may 
escape  Thy  anger  which  I  have  deserved,  and 
may  dwell  in  Thy  love,  and  be  Thy  child  and 
servant  forever ;  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 
Amen. 


SECOI^D  TUESDAY  m  LEISTT. 

SELF-DENIAL. 

**  But  I  keep  under  my  body,  and  bring  it  into  subjection." 
1  Cor.  ix.  27. 

Fkom  the  beginning  of  days  man  hath  been 
so  cross  to  the  Divine  commandments,  that  in 
many  cases  there  can  be  no  reason  given  why 
a  man  should  choose  some  ways,  or  do  some  ac- 
tions, but  only  because  they  are  forbidden.  I 
shall  not  need  to  instance  in  particulars,  when 
the  whole  life  of  man  is  a  perpetual  contradic- 
tion ;  and  the  state  of  disobedience  is  called 
the  "  contradictions  of  sinners."  Even  the  man 
in  the  Gospel,  that  had  two  sons,  they  both 
crossed  him,  even  he  that  obeyed  him,  and  he 
that  obeyed  him  not :  for  the  one  said  he  would, 
and  did  not ;  the  other  said  he  would  not,  and 
did.  And  so  do  we :  we  promise  fair,  and  do 
nothing ;  and  they  that  do  best  are  such  as 
come  out  of  darkness  into  light, — such  as  said, 
''  they  would  not,"  and  at  last  have  better  be- 
thought themselves.  There  are  some  enemies 
whom  God  hath  commanded  us  not  to  love,  and 
those  we  dote  on ;  we  cherish  and  feast  them, 


SELF-DENIAL.  107 

and  as  St.  Paul,  in  another  case,  "  upon  our  un- 
comely parts  we  bestow  more  abundant  come- 
liness." For  whereas  our  body  itself  is  a  ser- 
vant to  our  soul,  we  make  it  an  heir  of  all 
things,  and  treat  it  here  already  as  if  it  were 
in  majority;  and  make  that  which  at  the  best 
was  but  a  weak  friend,  to  become  a  strong 
enemy.  And  hence  proceed  the  vices  of  the 
worst,  and  the  follies  and  imperfections  of  the 
best.  The  spirit  is  either  in  slavery  or  in  weak- 
ness ;  and  when  the  flesh  is  not  strong  to  mis- 
chief, it  is  weak  to  goodness ;  and,  even  to  the 
Apostles,  our  Blessed  Lord  said,  "  The  spirit  is 
willing,  but  the  flesh  is  weak." 

Our  natural  weakness  appears  best  in  two 
things,  even  in  the  two  great  instances  of  temp- 
tations, pleasure  and  pain ;  in  both  which  the 
flesh  is  destroyed,  if  it  be  not  helped  by  a  mighty 
grace,  as  certainly  as  the  canes  do  bow  their 
heads  before  the  breath  of  a  mighty  wind. 

But  it  is  no  better  in  any  thing  else  ;  for  na- 
ture is  weak  in  all  its  strengths,  and  in  its 
fights,  at  home  and  abroad,  in  its  actions  and 
passions.  We  love  some  things  violently,  and 
hate  others  unreasonably  ;  any  thing  can  fright 
us  when  we  would  be  confident,  and  nothing 
can  scare  us  when  we  ought  to  fear  ;  the  break- 
ing of  a  glass  puts  us  into  a  supreme  anger,  and 
we  are  dull  and  indifierent  as  a  stoic  when  we 
see   God  dishonored.     We  passionately  desire 


108  SECOND   TUESDAY   IN   LENT. 

our  preservation,  and  yet  we  violently  destroy 
ourselves  and  will  not  be  hindered.  "We  cannot 
deny  a  friend  when  he  tempts  us  to  sin  and  death, 
and  yet  we  daily  deny  God  when  He  passion- 
ately invites  us  to  life  and  health. 

Even  when  the  state  is  changed,  in  the  be- 
ginning of  the  state  of  grace,  we  find  a  long 
weakness  upon  us,  because  we  are  long  before 
we  begin,  and  the  flesh  was  powerful  and  its 
habits  strong.  If  we  mean  to  pray,  the  flesh 
thrusts  in  thoughts  of  the  world ;  and  our 
tongue  speaks  one  thing,  and  our  hearts  mean 
another  ;  and  we  are  hardly  brought  to  say  our 
prayers,  or  to  undertake  a  fasting  day,  or  to 
celebrate  a  Communion :  and  if  we  remember 
that  all  these  holy  actions  should  be  done,  and 
that  we  have  many  opportunities  of  doing  them 
all,  and  yet  do  them  very  seldom,  and  then  very 
coldly,  it  will  be  found  at  the  foot  of  the  account, 
that  our  flesh  and  our  natural  weakness  prevail 
oftener  than  our  spiritual  strengths. 

The  spirit  is  also  abated  and  interrupted  by 
the  flesh,  because  the  flesh  pretends  it  is  not 
able  to  do  those  ministries  which  are  appointed 
in  order  to  religion.  We  are  not  able  to  fast ; 
or,  if  we  watch,  it  breeds  gouts  and  catarrhs ; 
or,  we  cannot  sufi'er  pain;  and  sorrow  breeds 
death ;  and  therefore  our  repentances  must  be 
more  gentle,  and  we  must  support  ourselves  in 
all  our  calamities ;    for  we   cannot    bear  om* 


SELF-DENIAL.  109 

crosses  without  a  freer  refreshment,  and  this 
freedom  passes  on  to  a  license ;  and  many  mel- 
ancholy persons  drown  their  sorrows  in  sin  and 
forgetfulness,  as  if  sin  were  more  tolerable  than 
sorrow,  and  the  anger  of  God  an  easier  load 
than  a  temporal  care.  Here  the  flesh  betrays 
its  weakness  and  its  follies. 

And  what  shall  we  do  to  secure  our  duty,  and 
to  be  delivered  of  ourselves,  that  the  body  of 
death,  which  we  bear  about  us,  may  not  destroys 
the  life  of  the  spirit  ? 

In  order  to  which,  I  shall  consider  that  since 
it  is  our  flesh  and  blood  that  is  the  principle 
of  mischief,  we  must  not  think  to  have  it  cured, 
by  washings  and  light  medicaments.  A  fight, 
and  actual  war  against  all  the  temptations  and 
offers  of  self-indulgence,  in  all  evil  instances 
and  degrees,  consists,  besides  prayer,  in  using- 
all  arts  and  industry  of  fortifying  the  spirit,  and: 
making  it  severe,  manly,  and  Christian.  For- 
sobriety  is  the  bridle  of  the  passions,  and  tem- 
perance  is  the  bit  and  curb  of  that  bridle  ;  and 
fasting,  though — when  considered  in  itself,  with- 
out relation  to  spiritual  ends, — it  is  a  duty 
nowhere  enjoined  or  counselled ;  yet  Chris- 
tianity hath  to  do  with  it,  as  it  may  be  made 
an  instrument  of  the  spirit  by  subduing  the 
lusts  of  the  flesh,  or  removing  any  hindrances- 
of  reliorion. 

In  the  pursuance  of  this  discipline  of  the  body,. 
10 


110        SECOND  TUESDAY  IN  LENT. 

tlie  doctors  of  the  Church  and  guides  of  souls 
have  not  unusefully  prescribed  other  annexes 
and  circumstances ;  as  that  all  the  other  acts  of 
deportment  be  symbolical  to  it.  K  we  fast  that 
we  may  pray  the  better,  let  us  remove  all  secu- 
lar thoughts  for  that  time ;  for  it  is  in  vain  to 
alleviate  our  spirits  of  the  burden  of  meat  and 
drink,  and  to  depress  them  with  the  loads  of  care. 
If  for  repentance  we  fast,  let  us  be  most  curious 
that  we  do  nothing  contrary  to  the  design  of  re- 
pentance, knowing  that  a  sin  is  more  contrary  to 
repentance  than  fasting  is  to  sin.  And  let  all 
our  actions  also  pursue  the  same  design,  helping 
one  instrument  with  another,  and  being  so  zeal- 
ous for  the  grace,  that  we  take  in  all  the  aids  we 
can  to  secure  the  duty.  For  to  fast  from  flesh 
and  to  eat  delicate  fish;  not  to  eat  meat,  but  to 
drink  rich  wines  freely ;  to  be  sensual  in  the  ob- 
jects of  our  other  appetites,  and  restrained  only 
in  one ;  to  have  no  dinner,  and  that  day  to  run 
on  hunting  or  to  play  at  cards;  are  not  hand- 
some instances  of  sorrow,  or  devotion,  or  self- 
denial. 

And  let  us  be  careful  in  all  instances,  that  we 
yield  not  to  the  weakness  of  the  flesh,  nor  listen 
to  its  fair  pretences ;  for  the  flesh  can  do  more 
than  it  says — we  can  do  more  than  we  think  we 
-can ;  and  if  we  do  some  violence  to  the  flesh,  for 
the  interest  of  our  spirit,  Ave  shall  make  our  flesh 
useful,  and  the  spirit  strong.     Let  us  however 


SKLF-DENIAL.  Ill 

be  careful  that  our  fast  be  reasonable,  serious, 
and  apt  to  the  end  of  our  designs  ;  let  it  not  de- 
stroy the  body,  or  retard  the  spirit,  or  violate  our 
health,  or  impede  us  in  any  part  of  our  necessary 
duty.  Let  us  do  it  like  honest  persons  and  just, 
without  artifices  and  hypocrisy ;  but  let  us  also 
do  it  like  wise  persons,  that  it  be  neither  in  itself 
unreasonable,  nor  by  accident  become  criminal. 

And  as  ^'  the  grace  of  God  that  bringeth  sal- 
vation hath  appeared  to  all  men,  teaching  us 
that  we  should  live  soberly  in  this  present 
world,"  let  us  also  accustom  ourselves  to  cut  off 
all  superfluity  in  the  provisions  of  our  life ;  for 
our  desires  will  enlarge  beyond  the  present  pos- 
session, so  long  as  all  the  things  of  this  world  are 
unsatisfying. 

Let  us  look  upon  pleasures,  not  upon  that  side 
that  is  next  the  sun,  or  where  they  look  beau- 
teously ;  that  is,  as  they  come  towards  us  to  be 
enjoyed;  for  then  they  paint,  and  smile,  and 
dress  themselves  up  in  tinsel  and  glass,  gems 
and  counterfeit  imagery :  but  when  they  begin 
to  go  off,  then  let  us  behold  them  in  their  naked- 
ness and  weariness. 

Let  us  often  consider  and  contemplate  the 
joys  of  heaven,  that,  when  they  have  filled  our 
desires  which  are  the  sails  of  the  soul,  we  may 
steer  only  thither,  and  never  more  look  back  to 
Sodom.  For  when  our  souls  dwell  above,  and 
look  down  upon  the  pleasures  of  the  world,  they 


112  SECOND   TUESDAY   IN   LENT. 

seem  like  things  at  a  distance,  little  and  con- 
temptible ;  and  men  running  after  the  satisfac- 
tion of  their  appetites  seem  foolish  as  fishes, 
thousands  of  them  running  after  a  rotten  worm 
that  covers  a  deadly  hook ;  or  at  the  best  but 
like  children,  with  great  noise  pursuing  a  bub- 
ble rising  from  a  walnut-shell,  which  ends  sooner 
than  the  noise. 

Above  all,  let  us  watch  every  thing  of  our- 
selves as  of  suspected  persons,  and  magnify  the 
grace  of  God,  and  be  humbled  for  our  stock  and 
spring  of  follies.  And  let  us  look  up  to  Him 
who  is  the  Fountain  of  grace  and  spiritual 
strength  ;  and  pray  that  God  would  give  us 
what  we  ask,  and  what  we  ask  not.  For  we 
want  more  helps  than  we  understand,  and  we 
are  nearer  to  evil  than  we  perceive ;  and  we 
bear  sin  and  death  about  us,  and  are  in  love 
with  it ;  and  nothing  comes  from  us  but  false 
principles,  and  weak  discourses,  and  startings 
from  our  holy  purposes,  and  care  of  our  bodies 
and  of  our  palates.  These  are  the  employments 
of  our  lives :  but  if  we  design  to  live  happily, 
and  in  a  better  place,  it  must  be  otherwise  w^ith 
us ;  we  must  become  new  creatures ;  and  have 
new  strengths,  which  we  can  only  derive  from 
God,  whose  grace  is  sufficient  for  us,  and  strong 
enough  to  prevail  over  all  our  follies  and  in- 
firmities. 


SELF-DENIAL.  113 


PRATER. 

O  Holy  and  Eternal  Saviour,  wlio  didst  for 
our  sake  fast  forty  days  and  forty  nights,  and 
hast  left  to  us  Thy  example,  and  Thy  prediction, 
that,  in  the  days  of  Thy  absence  from  ns,  we.  Thy 
servants,  and  children  of  Tliy  bride-chamber, 
should  fast ;  teach  me  to  do  this  act  of  disci- 
pline, so  that  it  may  become  an  act  of  religion. 
Enable  me  to  deny  my  appetites,  and  accustom 
myself  to  the  yoke,  that  I  may  have  no  desires 
but  of  Thee ;  and  that  the  outward  man  may  by 
degrees  resign  itself  to  the  entire  dominion  of  the 
soul,  and  may  pass  from  vanity  to  piety,  from 
weakness  to  ghostly  strength,  from  darkness  to 
light,  until  both  body  and  soul  shall  reign  with 
Thee  in  the  glories  of  eternity,  O  Holy  and  Eter- 
nal Saviour.     Amen. 

10« 


THIED  WEDNESDAY  IK  LENT. 

CHRISTIAN   SIMPLICITY. 

**  Be  ye  therefore  wise  as  stsrpents,  and  harmless  as  doves." 
Matt.  x.  part  of  verse  16. 

Our  Blessed  Saviour  having  prefaced  con- 
cerning prudence,  adds  to  the  integrity  of  the 
precept,  and  for  the  conduct  of  our  i-eligion,  that 
we  be  simple  as  well  as  prudent,  innocent  as 
well  as  wary.  A  true  simplicity  is  that  which 
leaves  to  man  arms  defensive,  his  castles  and 
strong  forts;  but  takes  away  his  swords  and 
spears,  his  anger  and  his  malice,  his  peevishness 
and  spite.  It  wants  craft  or  deceit,  but  wants 
no  prudence  or  caution ;  and  that  is  truly  Chris- 
tian simplicity,  or  the  sincerity  of  an  honest,  and 
ingenuous,  and  a  fearless  person  :  and  it  is  a  rare 
band,  not  only  of  societies  and  contracts,  but 
also  of  friendships  and  advantages  of  mankind. 

The  first  office  of  a  Christian  simplicity  con- 
sists in  our  religion  and  manners  ;  that  they  be 
open  and  honest,  public  and  justifiable,  the  same 
at  home  and  abroad.  For  besides  the  ingenu- 
ousness and  honesty  of  this,  there  is  an  indis- 
pensable and  infinite  necessity  it  should  be  so ; 
because  whoever  is  a  hj^ocrite  in  his  religion 


CHRISTIAN   SIMPLICITY.  115 


• 


mocks  God,  presenting  to  him  the  outside  and 
reserving  the  inward  for  His  enemy ;  which  is 
either  a  denying  God  to  be  the  searcher  of  our 
hearts,  or  else  an  open  defiance  of  His  omnis- 
cience and  His  justice. 

It  may  sometimes  concern  a^man  to  seem  re- 
ligious; but  it  always  concerns  us  to  be  re- 
ligious ;  and  we  may  reasonably  think,  that  if 
the  colors  of  religion  so  well  do  advantage  to 
us,  the  substance  and  reality  would  do  it  much 
more.  For  if  the  face  of  religion  could  do  a 
good  turn,  which  the  heart  and  substance  does 
destroy,  then  religion  itself  were  the  greatest 
hypocrite  in  the  world,  and  promises  a  blessing 
which  it  never  can  perform. 

'No :  w-e  shall  be  sure  to  feel  the  blessings  of 
both  the  worlds,  if  we  serve  in  the  offices  of  re- 
ligion, devoutly  and  charitably,  before  men  and 
before  God :  doing  before  men  things  that  are 
truly  pleasing  to  God;  turning  our  heart  out- 
ward and  our  face  inwards,  that  is,  conversing 
with  men  as  in  the  presence  of  God ;  and  in  our 
private  devotions  towards  God,  being  as  holy 
and  devout  as  if  we  prayed  in  public,  and  in 
the  corners  of  the  streets.  A  sincere  religion 
requires  that  we  do  nothing  for  ostentation,  but 
every  thing  for  conscience.  We  may  be  obliged 
in  conscience  to  publish  our  manner  of  lives ; 
but  then  it  must  be  not  that  we  may  have  a 
popular  noise  for  a  reward,  but  that  God  may 


116  THIRD   WEDNESDAY   IN    LENT. 

k 

be   glorified   by  our  public  worsliippiugs,  and 
others  edified  by  our  good  examples. 

Another  thing  to  be  added,  as  an  instance  to 
the  simplicity  of  religion,  is,  that  we  never  deny 
our  religion,  or  lie  concerning  our  faith,  nor 
tell  our  propositions  and  articles  deceitfully, 
nor  instruct  others  with  fraud;  but  that  when 
we  teach  them,  we  do  it  honestly,  justly,  and 
severely;  not  always  to  speak  all,  but  never  to 
speak  otherwise  than  it  is,  nor  to  hide  a  truth 
from  them,  whose  souls  are  concerned  in  it  that 
it  be  known. 

Religion  hath  strength  enough  of  its  own  to 
support  itself ;  it  needs  not  a  devil  for  its  advo- 
cate ;  it  is  the  breath  of  God,  and  as  it  is  purer 
than  the  beams  of  the  morning,  so  it  is  stronger 
than  a  tempest,  or  the  combination  of  all  the 
winds,  though  united  by  the  prince  that  ruleth 
in  the  air.  And  he  that  tells  a  lie  for  his  re- 
ligion, or  goes  about  by  fraud  and  imposture  to 
gain  proselytes,  either  dares  not  trust  his  cause 
or  dares  not  trust  God. 

True  religion  is  open  in  its  articles,  honest  in 
its  prosecutions,  just  in  its  conduct,  innocent 
when  it  is  accused,  ignorant  of  falsehood,  sure 
in  its  truth,  simple  in  its  sayings.  It  can  dis 
semble  nothing  of  itself;  it  cannot  tell  or  do  a 
lie  ;  but  it  can  become  a  sacrifice.  A  good  man 
can  quit  his  life,  but  never  his  integrity. 

Christian  simplicity  relates  also  to  j)romises 


CHRISTIAN    SIMPLICITY.  117 

ana  acts  of  grace  and  favor ;  and  its  caution  is, 
that  all  promises  be  simple,  ingenuous,  agree- 
able to  the  intention  of  the  promiser,  truly  and 
effectually  expressed,  and  never  going  less  in  the 
performance  than  in  the  promises  and  words  of 
the  expression.  All  promises  of  kindness  and 
civilities  are  tied  to  pass  into  performance, 
though  they  may  oblige  to  some  small  inconve- 
nience, yet  never  to  a  great  one :  as  "  I  will 
visit  you  to-morrow  morning,  because  I  prom- 
ised you,  and,  therefore  I  will  come,  although 
I  have  not  slept  my  full  sleep  ;"  but  if  I  be  in  a 
fever,  or  have  reason  to  fear  one,  I  am  dis- 
obliged. For  the  nature  of  such  promises  bears 
upon  them  no  bigger  burden  than  can  be  ex- 
pounded by  reasonable  civilities,  and  the  com- 
mon expectation  of  kind,  and  the  ordinary  per- 
formances of  just  men. 

Promises  in  matters  of  justice  or  in  matters 
of  grace  must  be  so  ingenuously  expressed  that 
no  condition  is  to  be  reserved  or  supposed  in 
them  to  warrant  their  non-performance,  but 
impossibility,  or,  that  which  is  next  to  it,  an 
intolerable  inconvenience.  But  it  is  not  against 
Christian  simplicity  to  express  our  promises  in 
such  words,  which  we  know  the  interested  man 
will  understand  to  other  purpose  than  I  intend^ 
so  it  be  not  less  that  I  mean  than  he  hopes  for. 

When  our  blessed  Saviour  told  His  disciples 
that  "they  should   sit  upon   twelve   thrones," 


118  THIRD   WEDNESDAY   IN   LENT. 

i 

they  presently  thought  they  had  His  bond  for  a 
kingdom,  and  dreamed  of  wealth  and  honor, 
power  and  a  splendid  court ;  and  Christ  knew 
they  did,  but  did  not  disentangle  His  promise 
from  the  enfolded  and  intricate  sense,  of  which 
His  words  were  naturally  capable  ;  but  He  per- 
formed His  promise  to  better  purposes  than  they 
hoped  for.  They  were  presidents  in  the  conduct 
of  souls,  princes  of  God's  people,  the  chief  in 
Bufferings,  stood  nearest  to  the  cross,  had  an 
elder  brother's  portion  in  the  kingdom  of  grace, 
were  the  founders  of  churches,  and  dispensers  of 
the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom,  and  ministers  of 
the  Spirit  of  God ;  and  "  their  names  were  writ- 
ten in  heaven."  And  this  was  infinitely  better 
than  to  groan  and  waste  under  a  head  pressed 
with  a  golden  crown  and  pungent  cares ;  and  to 
eat  alone,  and  to  walk  in  a  crowd,  and  to  be 
vexed  with  all  the  public  and  many  of  the  pri- 
vate evils  of  the  people,  which  is  the  sum  total 
of  an  earthly  kingdom. 

This  is  God's  dealing  with  mankind :  He 
promises  more  than  we  could  hope  for;  and 
when  He  hath  done  that.  He  gives  ns  more 
than  He  hath  promised.  And  so  also  must  we, 
imitating  that  example,  and  transcribing  that 
copy  of  Divine  truth,  always  remembering  that 
"  His  promises  are  yea  and  amen." 

Lastly,  Christian  simplicity  teaches  openness 
and  ingenuousness  in  contracts,  and  matters  of 


CHRISTIAN    SIMPLICITY.  119 

buying  and  selling,  covenants,  and  associations. 
A  man  may  be  deceived  by  deeds  and  open 
actions,  as  well  as  words ;  and  therefore  it  con- 
cerns our  duty,  that  no  man,  by  an  action  or 
purpose  done  to  make  his  brother  believe  a  lie, 
abuse  his  persuasion  and  his  interest.  In  all 
cases  of  bargaining,  although  the  actions  of 
themselves  may  receive  naturally  another  sense, 
yet  I  am  bound  to  follow  that  signili cation 
which  may  not  abuse  my  brother  or  pollute  my 
own  honesty.  If  I  exchange  a  thing  which  he 
understands  not,  and  is  by  error  led  into  this 
mistake,  and  I  delude  him  and  amuse  his  eye, 
by  me  he  is  made  worse. 

And  as  our  actions  must  be  of  a  sincere  and 
determined  signification  in  contract,  so  must  our 
words,  in  which  the  rule  of  the  old  Roman  hon- 
esty was  this :  "  every  one  that  speaks  is  to 
speak  but  once ;"  that  is,  "  but  one  thing,"  be- 
cause commonly  that  is  truth ;  truth  being  but 
one,  but  error  and  falsehood  infinitely  various 
and  changeable. 

Neither  is  it  lawful  so  much  as  to  conceal  the 
secret  and  undiscernible  faults  of  the  merchan- 
dise ;  in  all  cases  it  must  be  confessed  in  the 
price  or  in  the  words.  And  certain  it  is  tha"^ 
ingenuousness  is  the  sweetest  and  easiest  way, 
while  he  that  secures  his  own  profit,  and  regards 
not  the  interest  of  another,  is  more  greedy  of  a 
full  purse  than  a  holy  conscience. 


120  THIRD   WEDNESDAY   IN   LENT. 

Men,  by  simplicity,  converse  as  do  the  angels ; 
they  do  their  own  work,  and  secure  their  proper 
interest,  and  serve  the  public  and  do  glory  to 
God.  He  is  a  good  man  with  whom  a  blind 
man  may  safely  converse :  to  whom,  in  respect 
of  his  fair  treatings,  the  darkness  and  light  are 
both  alike.  And  let  us  remember  that  the 
rewards  of  craft  are  but  a  little  money,  and  a 
great  deal  of  dishonor,  and  much  suspicion,  and 
proportionable  scorn.  But  the  crown  of  justice 
is  a  fair  life,  and  a  clear  reputation,  and  an  in- 
heritance there  where  justice  dwells  since  she 
left  the  earth,  even  "in  the  kingdom  of  the 
Just,"  who  shall  call  us  to  judgment  for  every 
word,  and  render  to  every  man  according  to  his 
works. 

And  what  is  the  hope  of  the  hypocrite,  though 
he  hath  gained,  when  the  Lord  taketh  away  his 
soul? 

PRAYER. 

O  Lord  my  God,  let  Thy  mercy,  I  beseech 
Thee,  preserve  me  in  holiness  and  innocency, 
that  I  may  lead  an  uncorrupt  life,  with  humil- 
ity, and  truth,  and  justice.  Let  me  never  break 
my  trust,  nor  invade  my  neighbor's  right,  but 
grant  me  so  to  do  good  unto  all  men,  and  espe- 
cially to  them  that  fear  the  Lord,  that  I  may 


CHRISTIAN   SmPLICITT.  121 

always  remain  in  Thy  favor,  and  at  the  end  of 
my  weary  pilgrimage,  may  take  my  rest  upon 
Tliy  holy  hill,  and  dwell  in  Thy  tabernacle, 
where  Thou  reignest  in  glory,  God  Eternal, 
world  without  end.     Amen. 


THIRD  THURSDAY  IN  LE]N'T.      * 

SLANDER  AND  FLATTERY. 

"Thou  shalt  not  bear  false  witness  against  tliy  neighbor." 

ExoD.  XX.  16. 

"Life  and  death  are  in  the  hand  of  the 
tongue,"  said  the  Hebrew  proverb  ;  and  slander, 
which  is  the  direct  mnrder  of  the  tongue,  was 
esteemed  so  vile  a  thing,  that  when  Jezebel 
commanded  the  elders  of  Israel  to  suborn  false 
witnesses  against  l^aboth,  she  gave  them  in- 
structions to  "  take  two  men,  sons  of  Belial ;" 
none  else  were  fit  for  the  employment.  This 
was  it  that  humbled  Joseph  in  fetters,  and  "  the 
iron  entered  into  his  soul ;"  but  it  crushed  him 
not  so  much  as  the  false  tongue  of  his  revenge- 
ful mistress,  "  until  his  cause  was  known,  and 
the  word  of  the  Lord  tried  him."  This  was  it 
that  slew  Abimelech,  and  endangered  David ; 
that  thrust  Jeremy  into  the  dungeon,  and  carried 
our  Lord  to  His  cross  ;  and  therefore  against  the 
dangers  of  a  slandering  tongue,  all  laws  have  so 
cautiously  armed  themselves,  that,  besides  the 
severest  prohibitions  of  God,  often  recorded  in 
both  Testaments,  God  hath  chosen  it  to  be  one 


SLANDER   AND   FLATTERX.  123 

of  His  appellatives,  to  be  the  defender  of  tliern 
whose  inuocency  and  defenceless  state  make 
them  most  apt  to  be  undone  by  this  evil  spirit ; 
I  mean  widows,  the  poor,  and  the  oppressed. 

"  A  false  tongue  or  a  foul  lie  against  a  man's 
reputation,"  said  Cicero,  "  is  like  a  poisoned 
arrow ;"  it  makes  the  wound  deadly,  and  every 
scratch  to  be  incurable.  It  lies  in  the  face  of 
heaven,  and  abuses  the  ears  of  justice ;  it  op- 
presses the  innocent,  and  is  secretly  revenged 
of  virtue  ;  it  defeats  all  the  charity  of  laws,  and 
arms  the  supreme  power,  and  makes  it  strike 
the  innocent;  it  makes  frequent  appeals  to  be 
made  to  Heaven,  and  causes  an  oath,  instead  of 
being  the  end  of  strife,  to  be  the  beginning  of 
mischief;  it  calls  the  name  and  testimony  of 
God  to  seal  an  injury ;  it  feeds  and  nourishes 
cruel  anger,  but  mocks  justice,  and  makes  mercy 
weep  herself  into  pity,  and  mourn  because  she 
cannot  help  the  innocent.  Let  no  calumny, 
therefore,  no  slandering,  detracting  communica- 
tion, proceed  out  of  your  mouth. 

The  first  sort  of  this  is  that  which  the  Apostle 
calls  whisjpering^  which  signifies  to  abuse  our 
neighbor  secretly,  by  telling  a  private  story  of 
him.  These  are  those  which  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures note  by  the  disgraceful  name  of  "  talebear- 
ers." "Thou  shalt  not  go  up  and  down  as  a 
talebearer  among  the  people;"  for  "there  are 
six  things  which  God  hates  (saith  Solomon), 


124:  THIRD   THURSDAY   IN   LENT. 

yea,  the  seventh  is  an  abomination  unto  Him ;" 
and  that  is  a  whisperer,  or  talebearer,  that 
"soweth  contention  amongst  brethren."  The 
dearest  friendships  in  the  world  cannot  be  se- 
cure where  such  whisperers  are  attended  to; 
and  no  man's  interest  or  reputation,  no  man's 
peace  or  safety,  can  abide  where  this  nurse  of 
jealousy,  like  the  earwig,  creeps  in  at  the  ear, 
and  makes  a  diseased  noise  and  a  scandalous 
murmur. 

But  such  tongues  as  these,  where  they  dare, 
and  where  they  can  safely,  love  to  speak  louder  ; 
and  then  it  is  detraction — when  men,  under  the 
color  of  friendship,  will  certainly  wound  the 
reputation  of  a  man,  while  by  speaking  some 
things  of  him  fairly,  he  shall,  without  suspicion, 
be  believed  when  he  speaks  evil  of  him.  Such 
was  he  that  Horace  speaks  of:  "Capitolinus  is 
my  friend,  and  we  have  long  lived  together,  and 
obliged  each  other  by  mutual  endearments,  and 
I  am  glad  he  is  acquitted  by  the  criminal  judges  ; 
yet  I  confess  I  wonder  how  he  should  escape — 
but  will  say  no  more,  because  he  is  my  friend." 
This  is  that  which  the  Apostle  calls  "  a  crafty 
and  deceitful  way  of  hurting,"  and  renders  a 
man's  tongue  crafty  and  venomous  as  the  tongue 
of  a  serpent,  that  bites  even  though  he  be 
charmed. 

Tlie  devil  is  an  accuser  of  the  brethren,  and 
the  calumniating,  slandering,  and  undervaluing, 


SLANDER   AND   FLATTERY.  125 

detracting  tongue  does  liis  work.  But  there  is 
a  tliird  sort  of  filthy  communication  by  which  he 
does  more  mischief ;  by  which  he  undoes  souls  ; 
by  which  he  is  worse  than  "  an  accuser."  For 
though  he  accuses  maliciously  and  aggravates 
bitterl}^,  and,  with  all  his  power,  endeavors  to 
represent  the  separate  souls  to  God  as  polluted 
and  unfit  to  come  into  His  presence ;  yet  this 
malice  is  inejffective,  because  the  scenes  are 
acted  before  the  wise  Judge  of  men  and  angels, 
who  cannot  be  abused ;  before  our  Father,  and 
our  Lord,  who  knows  whereof  we  be  made,  and 
remembereth  that  we  are  but  dust :  before  our 
Saviour  and  our  Elder  Brother,  who  hath  felt 
our  infirmities,  and  knows  how  to  pity,  to  ex- 
cuse, and  to  answer  for  us.  But  though  this 
accusation  of  us  cannot  hurt  them  who  will  not 
hurt  themselves,  yet  this  malice  is  prevailing 
when  the  spirit  of  flattery  is  let  loose  upon  us. 
This  is  the  most  contrary  thing  to  charity  in  the 
whole  world  ;  and  St.  Paul  noted  it  in  his  char- 
acter of  charity :  "  Charity  vaunteth  not  itself;" 
so  we  translate  it,  but  certainly  not  exactly,  for 
it  signifieth  "  easiness,"  complying  foolishly,  and 
flattering.     '^  C\\2iviiy  flattereth  not." 

For  if  to  call  a  man  "  fool  and  vicious,"  be  so 
high  an  injury,  we  may  thence  esteem  what  a 
great  calamity  it  is  to  be  so :  and,  therefore, 
he  that  makes  him  so,  or  takes  a  course  he  shall 
not  become  other,  is  the  vilest  enemy  to  his 


126  THIRD  THURSDAY   IN   LENT. 

person  and  his  felicity.  And  this  is  the  mis- 
chief that  is  done  by  flattery  :  it  is  a  design 
against  the  wisdom,  against  the  repentance, 
against  the  growth  and  promotion  of  a  man's 
soul. 

For  this,  indeed,  is  a  calamity  that  undoes 
many.  We  so  love  our  peace,  and  sit  so  easily 
upon  our  own  good  opinions,  and  are  so  apt  to 
flatter  ourselves,  and  lean  upon  our  own  false 
support,  that  we  cannot  endure  to  be  disturbed 
or  awakened  from  our  pleasing  lethargy.  For 
we  care  not  to  be  safe,  but  to  be  secure ;  not 
to  escape  hell,  but  to  live  pleasantly.  We 
are  not  solicitous  of  the  event,  but  of  the  way 
thither ;  and  it  is  sufficient  if  we  be  persuaded 
all  is  well.  In  the  mean  time  we  are  careless 
whether  indeed  it  be  so  or  no,  and  therefore  we 
give  pensions  to  fools  to  cozen  us  of  felicity. 

But  this  evil  puts  on  several  shapes,  which 
we  must  discover,  that  they  may  not  cozen  us 
without  our  observation.  For  all  men  are  not 
capable  of  an  open  flattery;  and,  therefore, 
some  will  dress  their  hypocrisy  and  illusion  so 
that  you  may  feel  the  pleasure,  and  but  secretly 
the  compliance  and  tenderness  to  serve  the  ends 
of  your  folly. 

Some  will  dispraise  themselves,  that  their 
friend  may  think  better  of  himself,  or  less 
severely  of  his  fault.  Others  will  reprove  their 
friend  for  a  trifle,  but  with  a  purpose  to  let  him 


SLAl^DER   AND   FLATTEET.  127 

understand  that  this  is  all ;  for  the  honest  man 
would  have  told  his  friend  if  it  had  been  worse. 

Some  flatter  bj  imitation ;  others  pretend 
rusticity  and  downright  plainness,  and  upon  the 
confidence  of  that,  humor  their  friend's  vice, 
and  flatter  his  ruin.  They  pretend  they  love  not 
to  dissemble,  and  therefore  they  cannot  hide 
their  thoughts ;  let  their  friend  take  it  how  he 
will,  they  must  commend  that  which  is  com- 
mendable ;  and  so,  man,  that  is  willing  to  die 
quietly,  is  content  with  the  honest-heartiness 
and  downright  simplicity  of  him,  that  with  an 
artificial  rudeness  dressed  the  flattery. 

Some  will  laugh  and  make  a  sport  of  a  vice, 
as  if  damnation  were  a  thing  to  be  laughed  at, 
and  the  everlasting  ruin  of  his  friend  were  a 
very  good  jest. 

Thus  the  evil  spirit  puts  on  shapes  enough : 
none  to  afiright  the  man,  but  all  to  destroy 
him ;  and  yet  it  is  filthy  enough,  when  it  is 
invested  with  its  own  character. 

I  have  this  one  thing  only  to  insert,  and  then 
the  caution  will  be  sufficient;  viz.,  that  we  do 
not  think  all  praise  given  to  our  friend  to  be 
flattery,  though  it  be  in  his  presence.  For 
sometimes  praise  is  the  best  conveyance  for  a 
precept,  and  it  may  nourish  up  an  infant  virtue 
and  make  it  grow  up  towards  perfection,  and 
its  proper  measures  and  records. 

It  is  not  the  office  of  a  friend  always  to  be 


128  THIRD   THUESDAY   IN   LENT. 

sour,  or  at  any  time  morose ;  but  free,  open, 
and  ingenuous,  candid  and  humane ;  not  deny- 
ing to  please,  but  ever  refusing  to  abuse  or 
corrupt.  Only  since  self-love  is  the  serpent's 
milk  that  feeds  this  viper,  flattery,  we  should 
do  well  to  choke  it  with  its  mother's  milk ;  I 
mean,  learn  to  love  ourselves  more,  for  then  we 
should  never  endure  to  be  flattered.  For  he 
that,  because  he  loves  himself  loves  to  be  flat- 
tered, does,  because  he  loves  himself,  love  to 
entertain  a  man  to  abuse  him,  to  mock  him, 
and  to  destroy  him  finally.  But  he  that  loves 
himself  truly,  will  suffer  fire,  wdll  endure  to  be 
burnt,  so  he  may  be  purified ; — put  to  pain  so 
he  may  be  restored  to  health.  For,  "  of  all 
sauces"  (said  Evenus),  sharpness,  severity,  and 
"  fire,"  are  the  best. 


PRATEE. 

O  Almighty  God,  whose  goodness  endureth 
daily,  extend  Thy  gracious  favor  towards  me 
Thy  servant,  and  keep  me  from  the  wicked- 
ness of  a  false  tongue,  from  the  sins  of  malice 
and  flattery ;  that  being  nourished  by  Tliy 
grace,  and  watered  with  the  dew  of  Divine 
Blessing,  I  may  abound  in  peace,  and  bring 
forth  the  fruits  of  tender  mercy ;   and  by  the 


SLANDER   AND   FLATTERY.  129 

aid  of  Thy  Heavenly  Spirit,  and  for  the  merits 
of  my  Merciful  Eedeemer,  may  attain  to  Thy 
everlasting  kingdom,  there  to  reign  with  Thee 
who  reign  est  eternally,  one  God,  world  without 
end.     Amen. 


THIED  FEIDAY  IN  LENl. 

COVETOUSNESS. 

*'  Take  heed,  and  beware  of  covetousness :  for  a  man's  life  con- 
sisteth  not  in  the  abundance  of  the  things  which  he  possess- 
eth."    St.  Luke  xii.  15. 

Unless  the  Spirit  of  God  rule  in  our  hearts, 
we  are  none  of  Christ's ;  but  He  rules  not  where 
the  works  of  the  flesh  are  frequently,  or  mali- 
ciouslj,  or  voluntarily  entertained.  All  the 
works  of  the  flesh,  and  whatsoever  leads  to 
them;  all  that  is  contrary  to  the  Spirit,  and 
does  either  grieve  or  extinguish  Him, — must 
therefore  be  rescinded,  and  utterly  taken  away. 
Concerning  which,  Christ  and  His  Apostles  have 
left  us  catalogues  as  lights  and  watch-towers, 
to  point  out  the  rocks  and  quicksands  where  om' 
danger  is. 

Among  them  may  be  mentioned  covetous- 
ness— or  inordinate,  unreasonable  desires.  For 
the  word  does  not  only  signify  the  designing 
and  contrivances  of  unjust  ways  of  purchasing, 
which  is  not  often  separated  from  covetous  de- 
sires; but  the  very  thirst,  or  greediness;  the 
secret  and  impatient  desires  of  having  abun- 


COTETOrSXESS.  131 

dance.  It  will  not  be  hard  to  discern  and  to 
reprove  this  sin  of  desires  in  them  that  are 
guilty  of  it,  though  they  will  not  think  or  con- 
fess what  is,  or  what  is  not,  abundance.  For 
there  is  not  easily  to  be  found  a  greater  testi- 
mony of  covetousness,  that  the  error  concerning 
the  measure  of  our  possessions.  He  that  is  not 
easy  to  call  that  abundance,  which  by  good  and 
severe  men  is  thought  so,  desires  more  than  he 
should.  When  any  thing  is  over  and  above  the 
needs  of  our  life,  tliat  is  too  much ;  and  to  de- 
sire that,  is  covetousness,  saith  St.  Luke.  "  Take 
heed  and  keep  yourselves  from  covetousness: 
for  our  life  consisteth  not  in  abundance." 

"  Covetousness,"  the  Apostle  says,  '^  is  idola- 
try ;"  that  is,  it  is  an  admiring  money  for  itself, 
not  for  its  use.  It  relies  upon  money,  and  loves 
it  more  than  it  loves  God  and  religion ;  and  it  is 
''  the  root  of  all  evil."  It  teaches  men  to  be 
cruel  and  crafty,  industrious  in  evil,  full  of  care 
and  malice.  It  grinds  the  face  of  the  poor,  and 
undoes  those  who  specially  belong  to  God's  pro- 
tection. "  For  he,"  saith  St.  Hierom,  "  defrauds 
the  poor  of  their  right,  who  detains  from  them 
beyond  his  own  necessary,  prudent,  and  conve- 
nient supplies."  This  is  intended  to  be  a  re- 
trenchment of  all  vain  expenses,  costly  feasts, 
rich  clothes,  pompous  retinue,  and  such  excres- 
cences of  expense  which  of  themselves  serve  no 
end  of  piety  or  just  policy;  but  by  wise  and 


132  THIKD   FRIDAY   IN   LENT. 

temperate  persons  are  esteemed  imnecessary, 
and  without  which  the  dignity  and  just  vahie  of 
the  person  may  still  be  retained.  Whatsoever 
is  vainly  spent  was  the  portion  of  the  poor; 
whatsoever  lies  in  our  repository,  useless  and 
superfluous,  is  the  poor  man's  inheritance ;  and 
certainly  there  is  not  any  greater  baseness  than 
to  suffer  a  man  to  perish,  or  be  in  extreme  want 
of  that  which  God  gave  me  for  him,  and  beyond 
my  own  needs. 

But  in  taking  this  estimate  concerning  our 
excrescences,  we  are  to  proceed  according  to 
the  rules  of  prudence,  not  making  determina- 
tions in  grains  and  scruples,  but  in  the  greater 
actions  and  accountable  proportions  of  our  es- 
tates. And  if  any  man,  seeing  great  necessities 
of  indigent  and  calamitous  persons,  shall  give 
beyond  his  ability,  he  had  the  Philippians  for 
his  precedent,  and  he  hath  God  engaged  for  his 
payment,  and  a  greater  share  in  heaven  for  his 
reward.  Only  this:  as  we  are  to  provide  for 
ourselves,  so  also  for  our  family  and  the  rela- 
tives of  our  charge ;  not  only  with  a  provision 
of  the  present  day's  entertainment,  but  also  for 
all  nearer,  probable,  and  expected  events — such 
as  are  portions  for  our  children  and  dowries  for 
our  daughters.  This  must  not  be  extended  to 
care  and  reservations  for  all  possible  and  far 
distant  events ;  but  so  much  is  to  be  permitted 
to  the  Divine  Providence  as  our  present  duty 


COVETOUSNESS.  133 

gives  leave.  He  that  is  in  debt  is  not  excused 
from  giving  alms  till  his  debts  are  paid,  but  only 
from  giving  away  such  portions  which  should 
and  would  pay  them,  and  such  which  he  in- 
tended should  do  it.  There  are  crumbs  from 
the  table,  and  the  gleanings  of  the  harvest,  and 
the  scatterings  of  the  vintage,  which  in  all  es- 
tates are  the  portions  of  the  poor — which,  being 
collected  by  the  hand  of  Providence  and  united 
wisely,  may  become  considerable  to  the  poor, 
and  are  the  necessary  duties  of  charity.  And 
let  us  ever  remember,  that  if  we  increase  in  our 
estate,  we  also  should  increase  in  charity ;  that 
in  this  also  may  be  verified  what  is  written : 
"  He  that  hath  much  had  nothing  over,  and  he 
that  had  little  had  no  lack." 

If  question  be  made  concerning  the  persons 
who  are  to  be  the  objects  of  our  alms,  our  rule 
is  plain  and  easy ;  for  nothing  is  required  in  the 
person  capable  of  alms,  but  that  he  be  in  misery 
and  want,  and  unable  to  relieve  himself.  "  K 
any  one  will  not  work,"  saith  St.  Paul,  "  neither 
let  him  eat ;"  for  we  must  be  careful  that  our 
charity,  which  is  intended  to  minister  to  poor 
men's  needs,  do  not  minister  to  idleness  and  the 
love  of  beggary,  and  a  wandering,  useless,  and 
unprofitable  life.  But  abating  this,  there  is  no 
other  consideration  that  can  exempt  any  needy 
person  from  participation  of  your  charity ;  not 
though  he  be  your  enemy,  not  though  he  be  an 

12 


134:  THIRD   FRIDAY   IN    LENT. 

unbeliever,  not  thongli  lie  be  a  vicious  person — 
provided  only  the  mere  necessities  be  supplied. 
This  I  the  rather  insert,  that  the  pride  and  su- 
percilious austerities  of  some  persons  become 
not  to  them  an  instrument  of  excuse  from  min- 
istering to  needy  persons,  upon  pretence  their 
sins  brought  them  into  that  condition.  For 
though  the  causes  of  our  calamities  are  many 
times  great  secrets  of  Providence,  yet  suppose 
the  poverty  of  the  man  was  the  effect  of  his 
prodigality,  or  other  baseness,  it  matters  not,  as 
to  our  duty,  how  he  came  into  it,  but  where  he 
is;  lest  we  also  be  denied  a  visit  in  our  sick- 
nesses, and  a  comfort  in  our  sorrow,  or  a  coun- 
sel in  our  doubts,  or  aid  in  any  distress,  upon 
pretence  that  such  sadness  was  procured  by  our 
sins;  and  ten  to  one  but  it  was  so. 

The  manner  of  giving  alms  is  an  office  of 
Christian  prudence  ;  for  in  what  instances  we 
are  to  exemplify  our  charity,  we  must  be  deter- 
mined by  our  own  powers  and  others'  needs. 
The  Scripture  reckons  entertaining  strangers, 
visiting  the  sick,  going  to  prisons,  feeding  and 
clothing  the  hungry  and  naked :  to  which,  by 
the  exigence  of  the  poor  and  the  analogy  of 
charity,  many  others  are  to  be  added.  For  he 
that  does  his  alms,  and  resolves  that  in  no  case 
he  will  suffer  inconvenience  for  his  brother — 
whose  case,  it  may  bo,  is  intolerable — should 
do  well  to  remember  that  God,  in  some  cases, 


COYETOUSNESS.  135 

requires  a  greater  charity ;  and,  it  may  be,  we 
shall  be  called  to  die  for  the  good  of  our  brother. 
And  when  we  are  snch  good  husbands  in  our 
religion,  that  we  will  serve  all  our  conveniences 
before  the  great  needs  of  a  hungry  and  afflicted 
brother,  God  oftentimes  takes  from  us  that  which 
with  so  much  curiosity  we  would  preserve,  and 
then  we  lose  our  money,  and  our  reward  too. 

And  oh !  what  fools  are  they  who,  for  one 
]3oint  of  earth,  lose  so  many  leagues  of  heaven  ! 
— who,  for  short  pleasures,  lose  things  immense 
and  durable.  If  all  the  earth  were  of  gold, 
and  all  the  rivers  of  balsam,  and  all  the  rocks 
of  precious  stones,  wouldst  thou  not  say  that 
this  is  a  great  treasure  ?  Know,  that  a  treasure, 
which  exceeds  gold  as  far  as  gold  doth  dirt — 
balsam,  water — or  precious  stones,  pebWes — re- 
mains as  a  reward  for  the  just. 

How  poor  and  narrow  a  heart  must  that 
Christian  have  who  confines  his  love  to  things 
present,  sweating  and  toiling  for  a  small  part  of 
the  goods  of  this  world,  which  itself  is  so  little ! 

Let  not  us,  who  are  to  die  to-morrow,  afflict 
ourselves  for  that  which  may  perish  sooner  than 
we.  Let  us  not  toil  to  enjoy  that  which  we  are 
shortly  to  leave;  but  let  us  lay  up  our  treas- 
ures in  heaven, — that  Kingdom  of  the  Blessed, 
where  the  riches,  joys,  and  comforts  are  eternal 
and  can  never  be  taken  from  us. 

My  soul,  O   Lord  my   God,   thirsteth  after 


136  THIRD   FKIDAY   IN   LENT. 

Thee.  I  will  behold  Thy  face  in  righteousness ; 
for  in  Thy  presence  is  fulness  of  joy ;  at  Thy 
right  hand  there  are  pleasures  for  evermore. 
"Whatsoever  I  can  wish  for,  is  present  with  Thee ; 
whatsoever  can  be  desired,  is  in  Thee  in  abun- 
dance. Thou  shalt  make  me  drink  of  the  river 
of  Thy  pleasures  ;  for  with  Thee  is  the  fountain 
of  life,  and  in  Thy  light  I  shall  see  light. 

PRATER. 

O  Almighty  God,  Eternal  Treasure  of  all 
good,  who  fillest  all  things  living  with  plenteous- 
ness ;  teach  me,  in  Thy  mercy,  so  to  seek  the 
kingdom  of  God  and  its  righteousness,  that  I 
may  live  in  this  world  like  a  stranger,  with  affec- 
tions set  upon  heaven.  Let  Thy  Providence  be 
my  store-house,  and  my  own  necessity  the  limit 
of  my  desires.  Give  me  a  heart,  compassionate 
to  the  poor,  and  liberal  to  the  needy ;  and  let 
my  striving  be  to  gain  Thy  favor,  to  do  good 
to  others,  to  give  to  them  that  want ;  and  to  re- 
ceive from  Thee  pardon  and  support,  perse- 
verance and  glory,  through  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord.     Amen. 


THIED  SATUEDAY  IN  LENT. 

GROWTH  IN  GRACE. 

"  Bat  grow  in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ."     2  Peter  iii.  18. 

Of  old,  men  looked  upon  themselves  as  tliej 
stood  by  the  examples  and  precedents  of  mar- 
tyrs. They  compared  their  piety  to  the  life  of 
St.  Paul,  and  estimated  their  zeal  by  flames  of 
the  Boanerges.  Religion  began  all  their  actions, 
and  prayer  consecrated  them,  and  they  ended 
in  charity,  and  were  not  polluted  with  design. 
They  despised  the  world  heartily,  and  pursued 
after  heaven  greedily ;  they  knew  no  ends  but 
to  serve  God,  and  to  be  saved.  Till  Satan — 
full  of  envy  to  see  such  excellent  days — mingled 
covetousness  and  ambition  within  the  throngs 
and  conventions  of  the  Church;  and  then  mu- 
tual confidence  grew  less,  and  so  charity  was 
lessened ;  till  at  last  it  came  to  that  pass  where 
now  it  is — that  we  should  think  religion  in  a 
good  condition,  if  that  men  did  offer  up  to  God 
but  the  actions  of  an  ordinary,  even,  and  just 
life,  without  the  scandal  and  alloys  of  a  great 
impiety. 

12» 


138  THIKD    SATURDAY   IN   LENT. 

But  because  such  is  the  nature  of  things,  that 
either  they  grow  towards  perfection  or  decline 
towards  dissolution,  there  is  no  proper  way  to 
secure  it  but  bj  setting  its  growth  forward. 
For  religion  hath  no  station  or  natural  periods  ; 
if  it  does  not  grow  better  it  grows  much  worse  ; 
not  that  it  always  returns  the  man  into  scanda- 
lous sins,  but  that  it  fixes  him  in  a  state  of  indif- 
ference and  lukewarmness ;  and  he  is  more 
averse  to  a  state  of  improvement,  and  dies  in  an 
ignorant  and  unrelenting  condition. 

"  But  grow  in  grace  ;" — that  is  the  remedy, 
and  that  would  make  us  all  wise  and  happy; 
blessed  in  this  world,  and  sure  of  heaven. 

The  first  part  of  this  duty  is,  to  make  religioa 
to  be  the  business  of  our  lives ;  for  this  is  the 
great  instrument  which  will  naturally  produce 
our  growth  in  grace  and  the  perfection  of  a 
Christian.  For  a  man  cannot,  after  a  state  of 
sin,  be  instantly  a  saint ;  the  work  of  heaven  is 
not  done  by  a  flash  of  lightning,  or  a  dash  of 
affectionate  rain,  or  a  few  tears  of  a  relenting 
pity.  God  and  His  Church  have  appointed 
holy  intervals,  and  have  taken  portions  of  our 
time  for  religion,  that  we  may  be  called  off  from 
the  world,  and  remember  the  end  of  our  crea- 
tion, and  do  honor  to  God,  and  think  of  heaven 
with  hearty  purposes  and  peremptory  designs  to 
get  thither.  But  as  we  must  not  neglect  those 
times  which  God  hath  reserved  for  His  service, 


GROWTH   IN    GRACE.  139 

or  the  Cliurcli  hath  prudently  decreed,  nor  yet 
act  religion  upon  such  days  with  forms  and 
outsides,  to  comply  with  customs  or  to  seem  re- 
ligious, so  we  must  take  care  that  all  the  other 
portions  of  our  time  be  hallowed  with  little  re- 
tirements of  our  thoughts,  and  short  conver- 
sations with  God,  and  all  along  be  h-allowed 
with  holy  intention ;  that  "  whether  we  eat  or 
drink,  sleep  or  wake,  we  may  do  all  to  the  glory 
of  God." 

Eemember  that  God  sent  you  into  the  world 
for  religion.  We  are  but  to  pass  through  our 
pleasant  fields,  or  our  hard  labors ;  but  to  lodge 
a  little  while  in  our  fair  palaces,  or  our  meaner 
cottages ;  but  to  bait  in  the  way,  at  our  full 
tables  or  our  spare  diet.  But  then  only  man 
does  his  proper  employment  when  he  prays  and 
does  charity,  and  mortifies  his  unruly  appetites, 
and  restrains  his  violent  passions,  and  becomes 
like  to  God,  and  imitates  His  holy  Son.  Then 
he  is  dressing  himself  for  eternity,  where  lie 
must  dwell  or  abide,  either  in  an  excellent, 
beatifical  country,  or  in  a  prison  of  amazement 
and  eternal  horror.  Without  much  time,  and  a 
wary  life,  and  a  diligent  circumsj)ection,  we 
cannot  mortify  our  sins,  or  do  the  first  works 
of  grace.  I  pray  God  we  be  not  found  to  have 
grown,  like  the  sinews  of  old  age,  from  strength 
to  remissness ;  from  thence  to  dissolution,  and 
infirmity,  and  death. 


140  THIKD   SATUKDAl'   IN   LENT. 

The  second  step  of  our  growth  in  grace  is, 
when  virtues  grow  habitual,  apt,  and  easy,  in 
our  manners  and  dispositions.  Some  persons 
there  are  who  dare  not  sin ;  they  dare  not  omit 
their  hours  of  prayer,  and  they  are  restless  in 
their  spirits  till  they  have  done ;  but  they  go  to 
it  as  to  an  execution ;  they  stay  from  it  as  long 
as  they  can,  and  they  drive,  like  Pharaoh's 
chariots  with  the  wheels  off,  sadly  and  heavily. 
But  he  that  is  grown  in  grace,  and  hath  made 
religion  habitual  to  his  spirit,  is  not  at  ease  but 
when  he  is  doing  the  w^orks  of  the  new  man ;  he 
rests  in  religion,  and  comforts  his  sorrows  with 
thinking  of  his  prayers ;  and  in  all  crosses  of  the 
world  he  is  patient,  because  his  joy  is  at  hand  to 
refresh  him  when  he  lists,  for  he  cares  not  so  he 
may  serve  God;  and  if  you  make  him  poor 
here,  he  is  rich  there,  and  he  counts  that  to  be 
his  proper  ser\dce — his  work,  his  recreation,  his 
reward. 

He  also  is  well  grown  in  the  state  of  grace, 
who  is  more  patient  of  a  sharp  reproof  than  of 
a  secret  flattery  ;  who  admits  the  reprover's  ser- 
mon or  discourse  without  a  private  regret ;  and 
hath  no  secret  murmurs  or  unwillingness  to  the 
humiliation,  but  is  only  ashamed  that  he  should 
deserve  it.  But  if  to  this  he  adds,  that  he  vol- 
untarily confesses  his  own  fault,  then  it  is  cer- 
tain he  is  not  only  a  professed  and  hearty  enemy 
against  sin,  but  a  zealous,  and  a  prudent,  and 


GROWTH   IN   GRACE.  141 

an  active  person  against  all  its  interests ;  and 
never  counts  himself  at  ease  but  while  he  rests 
upon  the  banks  of  Sion,  or  at  the  gates  of  the 
temple.  He  reckons  it  no  objection  to  be  abased 
in  the  face  of  man,  so  he  may  be  gracious  in  the 
eyes  of  God  ;  and  that  is  a  sign  of  a  good  grace 
and  a  holy  wisdom — that  man  is  "  grown  in  the 
grace  of  God  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ."  I  did  the  rather  insist  upon  this 
particular,  because  it  is  a  consideration  of  huge 
concernment,  and  yet  much  neglected  in  all  its 
instances  and  degrees. 

He  that  is  grown  in  grace,  and  in  the  know- 
ledge of  Christ,  esteems  no  sin  to  be  little  or 
contemptible — none  fit  to  be  cherished  or  in- 
dulged to.  It  is  a  sign  of  a  tender  conscience 
and  a  reformed  spirit,  when  it  is  sensible  of 
every  alteration ;  when  an  idle  word  is  trouble- 
some ;  when  a  wandering  thought  puts  the 
whole  spirit  upon  its  guard ;  when  too  free  a 
merriment  is  wiped  ofi*  with  a  sigh,  and  a  sad 
thought,  and  a  holy  prayer.  A  man's  spirit  is 
naturally  careless  of  baser  and  uncostly  mate- 
rials ;  but  if  a  man  be  to  work  in  gold,  then  he 
will  save  the  dust  of  his  filings,  and  sufi'er  not  a 
grain  to  perish ;  and  when  a  man  hath  laid  his 
foundation  in  precious  stones,  he  will  not  build 
vile  matter,  stubble,  and  dirt  upon  it.  So  it  is 
in  the  spirit  of  a  man ;  if  he  have  built  upon 
the  Rock,  Christ  Jesus,  and  is  grown  up  to  a 


142  THIRD    SATURDAY    IN    LENT. 

good  stature  in  Christ,  he  will  not  easily  dis- 
honor his  building,  or  lose  his  labors,  by  an 
incurious  entertainment  of  vanities  and  little 
instances  of  sin. 

'No  man  is  grown  in  grace,  but  he  that  is 
ready  for  every  w^ork — that  chooses  not  his  em- 
ployment— that  refuses  no  imposition  from  God, 
or  his  superior.  As  to  be  universal  in  our  obe- 
dience is  necessary  to  the  being  in  a  state  of 
grace,  so  readily  to  change  employment  from 
the  better  to  the  worse,  from  useful  to  seemingly 
improfitable,  is  a  good  character  of  a  well-grown 
Christian.  Can  you  be  willing  to  all  that  God 
is  willing,  and  suffer  all  that  He  chooses,  as 
willingly  as  if  you  had  chosen  your  own  fortune  ? 
In  the  same  degree  in  which  you  can  conform 
to  God,  in  the  same  you  have  approached  to- 
wards that  perfection,  whither  we  must,  by 
degrees,  arrive,  in  our  journey  towards  heaven. 

Concerning  all  w^hich  I  have  a  caution  or  two 
to  interpose : — The  grow^th  of  grace  is  to  be  es- 
timated as  other  moral  things  are,  not  according 
to  the  growth  of  things  natural.  Grace  does  not 
grow  by  observation ;  and  a  man  cannot  call 
himself  to  account  for  the  growth  of  every  day, 
or  week,  or  month.  In  the  greater  portions  of 
our  life,  in  w^hich  we  have  had  many  occasions 
to  exercise  and  improve  our  virtues,  we  may 
call  ourselves  to  account;  but  it  is  a  snare  to 
our  consciences  to  be  examined  in  the  growth 


GROWTH   IN   GRACE.  143 

of  grace  in  every  short  revolution  of  solemn 
duty,  afi  against  every  communion  or  great 
festival.  And,  in  considering  our  growth  in 
grace,  let  us  take  more  care  to  consider  matters 
that  concern  justice  and  charity,  than  that  con- 
cern the  virtue  of  religion ;  because  in  this  there 
may  be  much,  in  the  other  there  cannot  be 
easily  any  illusion.  That  is  a  good  reHgion  that 
believes,  and  trusts,  and  hopes  in  God,  through 
Jesus  Christ;  and  for  His  sake  does  all  justice 
and  all  charity  that  he  can ;  and  our  Blessed 
Lord  gives  no  other  description  of  love  to  God, 
but  obedience  and  keeping  His  command- 
ments. 

He  that,  by  the  proper  significations  of  a 
growing  grace,  does  not  understand  his  own 
condition,  must  be  content  to  work  on,  without 
consideration  of  particulars.  He  must  pray 
earnestly,  and  watch  diligently,  and  (insult 
with  prudent  guides,  and  ask  of  God  great  mea- 
sures of  His  Spirit. 

And  if  he  understands  not  his  present  good 
condition,  yet  if  he  be  not  wanting  in  hearty 
purposes,  he  shall  then  find  that  he  is  grown  in 
grace,  when  he  springs  up  in  the  resurrection 
of  the  just,  and  shall  be  engrafted  upon  a  tree 
of  paradise,  which  beareth  fruit  forever ; — 
glory  to  God,  rejoicing  to  saints  and  angels, 
and  eternal  felicity  to  his  own  pious,  though 
undiscerning,  soul. 


14:4  THIRD   SATTJEDAT   IN   LENT. 


PEATEE. 

O  Eternal  God,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth, 
Father  of  men  and  angels !  I  do  adore  Thy  in- 
finite goodness,  by  which  Thou  hast  dealt  with 
us ;  not  with  the  dominion  of  a  Lord,  but  with 
the  gentleness  of  a  Father.  Oh !  let  the  remem- 
brance of  Thy  loving-kindness  be  so  imprinted 
in  my  heart,  that  I  may  fear  more,  and  love 
more  every  day;  hating  sin,  crucifying  all  its 
affections  and  desires ;  and  so  pressing  forward 
to  the  mark  of  my  high  calling  in  Christ  Jesus, 
that,  for  His  sake.  Thou  mayest  be  pleased  to 
pardon,  to  sanctify,  and  to  preserve  Thy  servant 
forever.    Amen. 


THIED  Sm^DAT  IK  LEKT.  ' 

THE  SECOND  TEMPTATION. 

"  Then  the  devil  taketh  Him  up  into  the  holy  city,  and  setteth 
Him  on  a  pinnacle  of  the  temple,  and  saith  unto  Him,  If  Thou 
be  the  Son  of  God,  cast  Thyself  down :  for  it  is  written,  He 
shall  give  His  angels  charge  concerning  thee :  and  in  their 
hands  they  shall  bear  Thee  up,  lest  at  any  time  Thou  dash 
Thy  foot  against  a  stone."    Matt.  iv.  5,  6. 

The  devil,  perceiving  Jesus  to  be  a  person  of 
greater  eminence  and  perfection  than  to  be 
moved  by  sensual  and  low  desires,  made  a  second 
assault  by  a  temptation  something  more  spirit- 
ual, and  tempted  him  to  presumption  and  indis- 
creet confidence,  that  God  might  secure  him  by. 
the  ministry  of  angels,  and  so  prove  His  being 
the  Son  of  God.  But  this  v^as  an  invitation  to 
no  purpose,  save  only  that  it  gave  occasion  to 
this  truth — that  God's  providence  secures  alL 
his  sons  in  the  way  of  nature,  and  while  they 
are  doing  their  duty ;  but  loves  not  to  be  tempted, 
to  acts  unreasonable  and  unnecessary. 

God  will  protect  His  servants  in  or  from  all 

evils  happening  without  their  knowledge,  or 

against  their  will ;  but  not  from  evils  of  their 

own  procuring.     For  the  caresses  of  God's  love 

13 


146        THIRD  SUNDAY  IN  LENT. 

to  His  saints  and  servants  are  security  against 
all  but  themselves.  Tlie  devil  and  all  the  world 
offer  to  do  them  mischief;  but  then  they  shall 
be  safe,  because  they  are  innocent.  If  they 
once  offer  to  do  the  same  to  themselves,  they 
lose  their  protection  because  they  lost  their 
prudence  and  their  charity.  And  here  it  will 
concern  us  to  take  heed  that  our  ends  be  none 
in  eminency  above  others.  For  those,  who  by 
their  eminent  employment  are  set  upon  a  pin- 
nacle of  the  temple,  have  need  to  take  care 
that  the  devil  tempt  not  them  to  a  precipice. 
A  fall  from  so  great  a  height  will  break  the 
bones  in  pieces ;  and  yet  there  also  the  station 
is  less  firm,  the  posture  most  uneasy,  and  the 
devil  busy  and  desirous  to  thrust  us  headlong. 
A  life  common  and  ordinary,  without  affecta- 
tion or  singularity,  is  the  most  prudent  and  safe. 
Every  great  change,  every  violence  of  fortune, 
all  eminences  whatsoever,  whether  of  person, 
or  accident,  or  circumstance,  puts  us  to  a  new 
trouble,  requires  a  distinct  care,  creates  new 
•dangers,  marks  us  out  the  object  of  envy,  makes 
'Our  standing  more  insecure,  and  our  fall  more 
^contemptible  and  ridiculous.  But  an  even  life 
rsj^ent  with  as  much  rigor  of  duty  to  God  as 
ought  to  be  ;  in  taking  upon  ourselves  ordinary 
offices,  in  frequenting  public  assemblies,  per- 
forming offices  of  civility,  receiving  all  the  rites 
of  an  established  religion,  complying  with  na- 


THE    SECOND   TEMPTATION.  147 

tional  customs  and  hereditary  solemnities  of  a 
people ;  in  nothing  disquieting  public  peace,  or 
dissolving  the  ligaments  of  charity,  or  breaking 
laws,  and  the  great  relations  of  the  world,  out  of 
fancy  and  singularity,  is  the  best  way  to  live 
holily,  and  safely,  and  happily ;  safer  from  sin 
and  envy,  and  more  removed  from  trouble  and 
temptation. 

St.  Hierom  observes  well,  that  the  devil,  in- 
tending mischief  to  our  blessed  Saviour,  invited 
Him  ''to  cast  Himself  down."  He  may  per- 
suade us  to  a  fall,  but  cannot  precipitate  us  with- 
out our  own  act.  And  it  is  an  infinite  mercy  in 
God,  that  the  devil,  who  is  of  malice  infinite,  is 
of  so  restrained  and  limited  a  power,  that  he  can 
do  us  no  ghostly  disadvantage,  but  by  j^ersuad- 
ing  us  to  do  it  ourselves.  For,  let  the  tempta- 
tion be  never  so  strong,  every  Christian  man 
hath  assistances  sufficient  to  support  him,  so  as 
that,  without  his  own  yielding,  no  temptation  is 
stronger  than  that  grace  which  God  offers  him : 
for,  if  it  were,  it  were  not  so  much  as  a  sin  of 
infirmity ;  it  were  no  sin  at  all. 

PRAYEE. 

O  Holy  Saviour,  who  didst  fulfil  all  right- 
eousness, and  live  a  life  of  evenness  and  obedi- 
ence, submitting  Tliyself  to  all  rites  and  laws  of 
Divine  ordinance ;  give  me  grace  to  live  in  the 


148         THIKD  SUNDAY  IN  LENT. 

fellowsliip  of  Til  J  Holy  Church — a  life  of  piety, 
and  without  singularity.  Strengthen  me  with 
the  influence  of  Thy  Sacraments  and  rites ;  en- 
able me  to  serve  Thee  with  a  never-failing  love 
in  the  actions  of  a  holy  life  ;  and  grant  that  I 
may  ever  continue  a  child  of  God,  and  at  length 
be  made  a  partaker  of  Thy  immortal  inheritance, 
for  Thy  mercy's  sake,  and  for  the  honor  of  Thy 
name,  which  is,  and  shall  be,  adored  forever. 
Amen. 


THIED  MONDAY  m  LEISTT. 

THE   LIFE   OF   CHRIST   OUR   EXAMPLE. 

"  Christ  also  suffered  for  us,  leaving  us  an  example,  that  ye  should 
follow  His  steps."    1  Peter  ii.  21. 

It  is  reported  in  the  Bohemian  story,  that  St. 
Wenceslaiis,  their  king,  one  winter  night  going 
to  his  devotions,  in  a  remote  church,  barefooted 
in  the  snow  and  sharpness  of  unequal  and 
pointed  ice,  his  servant  Podavious,  w^ho  waited 
upon  his  master's  piety,  and  endeavored  to  imi- 
tate his  affections,  began  to  faint  through  the 
violence  of  the  snow  and  cold,  till  the  king 
commanded  him  to  follow  him,  and  set  his  feet 
in  the  same  footsteps  wliich  his  feet  should  mark 
for  him.  The  servant  did  so,  and  either  fancied 
a  cure  or  found  one  ;  for  he  followed  his  prince, 
helped  forward  with  shame  and  zeal  to  his  imi- 
tation, and  by  the  forming  footsteps  for  him  in 
the  snow.  In  the  same  manner  does  the  Blessed 
Jesus ;  for,  since  our  way  is  troublesome,  ob- 
scure, full  of  objection  and  danger,  apt  to  be 
mistaken  and  to  affright  our  industry.  He  com- 
mands us  to  mark  His  footsteps,  to  tread  where 
His  feet  have  stood;  and  not  only  invites  us 
13-5 


150  THIRD   MONDAY   IN   LENT. 

forward  hv  the  argument  of  His  example,  but 
He  liath  trodden  down  much  of  the  difficulty, 
and  made  the  way  easier  and  fit  for  our  feet. 
For  He  knows  our  infirmities,  and  Himself  hath 
felt  their  experience  in  all  things  but  in  the 
neighborhoods  of  sin;  and  therefore  He  hath 
proportioned  a  way  and  a  path  to  our  strengths 
and  capacities,  and,  like  Jacob,  hath  marched 
softly,  and  in  evenness  with  the  children  and 
the  cattle,  to  entertain  us  by  the  comforts  of 
His  company,  and  the  influences  of  a  perpetual 
guide. 

"Put  ye  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  was  a 
precept  of  the  Apostle.  The  similitude  declares 
the  duty :  as  a  garment  is  composed  and  made 
of  the  same  fashion  with  the  body,  and  is  ap- 
plied to  each  part  in  its  true  figure  and  com- 
mensuration,  so  should  we  put  on  Christ,  and 
imitate  the  whole  body  of  His  sanctity,  and  ex- 
press Him  in  our  lives,  that  God,  seeing  our 
impresses,  may  know  whose  image  and  super- 
scription we  bear;  and  we  may  be  acknowl- 
edged for  sons,  when  we  have  the  air  and  fea- 
tures and  resemblance  of  our  Elder  Brother. 
For  we,  who  believe  that  Jesus  was  perfect 
God  and  perfect  man,  do  also  believe,  that  one 
minute  of  His  intolerable  passion,  and  every 
action  of  His,  might  have  been  satisfactory, 
and  enough  for  the  expiation  and  reconcilement 
of  ten  thousand  worlds,  and  God  might,  upon  a 


THE   LIFE   OF   CKRIST   OUR   EXAMPLE.  151 

less  effusion  of  blood,  and  a  shorter  life  of  merit, 
if  He  had  pleased,  have  accepted  human  nature 
to  pardon  and  favor.  But  that  the  holy  Jesus 
hath  added  so  many  excellent  instances  of  holi- 
ness, and  so  many  degrees  of  passion,  and  so 
many  kinds  of  virtue  is,  that  He  might  become 
an  example  to  us,  and  reconcile  our  wills  to 
Him,  as  well  as  our  persons  to  His  Heavenly 
Father. 

And,  indeed,  it  will  prove  but  a  sad  co.isider- 
ation,  that  one  drop  of  blood  might  be  enough 
to  obtain  our  pardon,  and  the  treasures  of  His 
blood  running  out  till  the  fountain  itself  was 
dry,  shall  not  be  enough  to  procure  our  con- 
formity to  Him ;  that  at  a  smaller  expense  God 
might  pardon  us,  and  at  a  greater  we  will  not 
imitate  Him.  The  least  of  our  wills  cost  Christ 
as  much  as  the  greatest  of  our  sins.  And  there- 
fore He  calls  himself  "  the  Way,  the  Truth,  and 
the  Life ;"  that  as  he  redeems  our  souls  from 
death  to  life,  by  becoming  Life  to  our  persons, 
so  He  is  the  Truth  to  our  understandings,  and 
the  Way  to  our  will  and  affections,  enlightening 
that,  and  leading  these  in  the  paths  of  a  happy 
eternity. 

The  imitation  of  the  life  of  Jesus  is  a  duty  of 
that  excellency  and  perfection,  that  we  are  helped 
in  it,  not  only  by  the  assistance  of  a  good  and  a 
great  example — which  possibly  might  be  too 
great,  and  scare  our  endeavors  and  attempts — 


152  THIED   MONDAY   IN   LENT. 

J3ut  also  by  its  easiness,  compliance,  and  propor- 
tion to  ns ;  for  Jesus,  in  his  whole  life,  conversed 
with  men  with  a  modest  virtue,  which,  like  a 
well-kindled  fire  fitted  with  just  materials,  casts 
a  constant  heat.  His  piety  was  even,  constant, 
unblamable,  complying  with  civil  society,  with- 
out prodigious  instances  of  actions  greater  than 
the  imitation  of  men.  For  if  "we  observe  our 
Blessed  Saviour  in  the  whole  story  of  His  life, 
although  He  was  without  sin,  yet  the  instances 
of  His  piety  were  the  actions  of  a  very  holy  but 
of  an  ordinary  life ;  and  we  may  observe  this 
difference  in  the  story  of  Jesus  from  ecclesiasti- 
cal writings  of  certain  beatified  persons,  whose 
lives  are  told  rather  to  amaze  us,  and  to  create 
scruples,  than  to  lead  us  in  the  evenness  and  se- 
renity of  a  holy  conscience.  Such  are  the  pro- 
digious penances  of  Simeon  Stylites,  the  absti- 
nence of  tbe  religious,  who  retired  into  the 
mountain  Mtria,  but  especially  the  stories  of 
later  saints  in  the  midst  of  a  declining  piety  and 
aged  Christendom. 

But  we  must  know  that  not  every  thing  which 
Christ  did  is  imitable  by  us ;  for  some  excellent 
acts  of  His  were  demonstrations  of  divinity. 
Jesus  fasted  forty  days  and  forty  nights ;  but 
the  manner  of  our  fastings  hath  been  in  all  ages 
limited  to  the  term  of  an  artificial  day.  "VYe 
never  heard  that  Jesus  laughed,  and  but  once 
that  He  rejoiced  in  spirit ;  but  the  declensions 


THE   LIFE   OF   CHRIST   OUR   EXAMPLE.  153 

of  oui'  natures  cannot  bear  the  weight  of  a  per- 
petual grave  deportment,  without  the  intervals 
of  refreshment  and  free  alacrity. 

Tlie  instances  are  not  many;  and  we  may 
•  establish  this  for  a  rule  and  limit  of  our  imita- 
tions :  whatsoever  He  commanded,  and  whatso- 
ever He  did,  of  precise  morality  or  in  pursuance 
of  the  laws  of  nature,  in  that  we  are  to  trace 
His  footsteps :  and  in  these  His  laws  and  His 
practice  differ  but  as  a  map  and  a  guide,  a  law 
and  a  judge,  a  rule  and  a  precedent.  Jesus's 
going  up  to  Jerusalem  to  the  feasts,  and  His 
observation  of  the  sabbaths,  teach  us  our  duty 
in  celebration  of  festivals  constituted  by  a  com- 
petent and  just  authority.  For  that  which  gave 
excellency  to  the  observation  of  Mosaical  rites 
was  an  evangelical  duty ;  and  the  piety  of  obe- 
dience did  not  only  consecrate  the  observations 
of  Levi,  but  taught  us  our  duty  in  the  constitu- 
tions of  Christianity. 

And  as  the  Holy  Jesus  did  some  things  which 
we  are  not  to  imitate,  so  we  also  are  to  do  some 
things  which  we  cannot  learn  from  His  exam- 
ple. For  there  are  some  of  our  duties  which 
presuppose  a  state  of  sin ;  and  some  suppose  a 
promptness  to  it.  Such  are  all  the  parts  and 
actions  of  repentance,  the  duties  of  mortification 
and  self-denial.  Some  states  of  life  also  there 
are  which  Jesus  never  led ;  such  are  those  of 
temporal  governors,  kings,  and  judges ;  in  the 


154  THIRD   MONDAY   m   LENT. 

course  of  which  lives  many  cases  do  occur, 
which  need  a  precedent,  and  the  vivacity  of  an 
excellent  example  ;  especially,  since  all  the  rules 
which  they  have,  have  not  prevented  the  sub- 
tlety of  the  many  inventions  which  men  have 
found  out,  nor  made  provision  for  all  contingen- 
cies. Such  persons,  in  all  their  special  needs, 
are  to  govern  their  actions  by  analogy  to  the 
holiness  of  Jesus ;  considering  what  might  be- 
come a  person  professing  the  discij)line  of  so 
holy  a  Master,  and  what  He  would  have  done 
in  the  like  case ;  taking  our  heights  by  the  ex- 
cellence of  His  innocency  and  charity. 

But  now,  from  these  particulars,  we  shall  best 
account  to  what  the  duty  of  the  imitation  of 
Jesus  does  amount;  for  it  signifies,  that  "we 
should  walk  as  He  walked,"  tread  in  His  steps ; 
with  our  hand  upon  the  Guide  and  our  eye  upon 
His  rule ;  that  we  should  do  glory  to  Him,  as 
He  did  to  His  Father ;  and  that  w^iatsoever  we 
do,  we  should  be  careful  that  it  do  Him  honor ; 
there  being  no  better  imitation  of  Him  than  in 
such  actions  as  do  Him  pleasure,  however  He 
hath  expressed  the  precedent.  He  that  gives 
alms  to  the  poor,  takes  Jesus  by  the  hand ;  he 
that  patiently  endures  injuries  and  affronts, 
helps  Him  to  bear  His  cross ;  he  that  comforts 
his  brother  in  affliction,  gives  a  kiss  of  peace  to 
Jesus;  .he  that  bathes  his  own  and  his  neigh- 
bor's sins  in  tears  of  penance  and  compassion, 


THE   LIFE   OF   CIIEIST   OUR   EXAMPLE.  155 

washes  liis  Master's  feet.  "We  lead  Jesus  into 
the  recesses  of  our  heart  by  holy  meditations; 
and  we  enter  into  His  heart,  when  we  express 
Him  in  our  actions:  for  so  the  Apostle  says, 
"  He  that  is  in  Christ,  walks  as  He  also  walked." 
He  that  considers  with  what  effusions  of  love 
Jesus  prayed,  what  fervors  and  assiduity,  what 
subordination  to  His  Father,  and  confoj-mity  to 
the  Divine  pleasure,  were  in  all  His  devotions — 
is  taught  and  excited  to  holy  and  religious  pray- 
ers. Tlie  rare  sweetness  of  His  deportment  in 
all  temptations  and  violences  of  His  passion,  His 
charity  to  His  enemies.  His  sharp  reprehensions 
to  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  His  ingenuousness 
towards  all  men,  are  living  and  effectual  sermons 
to  teach  us  patience,  and  humility,  and  zeal,  and 
candid  simplicity,  and  justice,  in  all  our  actions. 
Let  us  therefore  press  after  Jesus,  as  Elisha 
did  after  his  master,  with  an  inseparable  prose- 
cution, even  whithersoever  He  goes;  that,  ac- 
cording to  the  reasonableness  and  proportion 
expressed  in  St.  Paul's  advice,  "  As  we  have 
borne  the  image  of  the  earthy,  we  may  also 
bear  the  image  of  the  heavenly."  When  St. 
Laurence  was  in  the  midst  of  torments,  he  made 
this  to  be  the  matter  of  his  joy  and  eucharist, 
that  he  was  admitted  to  the  gates  through  which 
Jesus  had  entered ;  and,  therefore,  thrice  happy 
are  they  who  Avalk  in  His  courts  all  their  days. 
And  it  is  yet  a  nearer  union  and  vicinity  to  im- 


156  THIRD   MONDAY   IN   LENT. 

print  His  life  in  our  souls,  and  express  it  in  our 
exterior  converse ;  and  tliis  is  done  by  him  only 
who  despises  all  those  gilded  vanities  which  He 
despised,  that  fears  none  of  those  sadnesses 
which  He  suffered,  that  practises  those  doc- 
trines which  He  taught,  and  hopes  for  the  ac- 
complishment of  all  His  promises. 

And  this  is  truest  religion,  and  the  most  sol- 
emn adoration. 

PKAYEE. 

O  Gracious  and  Eternal  Saviour,  whose  sanc- 
tity shineth  gloriously  in  every  part  of  Thy  life, 
grant  that  my  will  and  my  affections  may  be  so 
conformed  to  Thy  precepts,  that  I  may  express 
Thy  image  in  all  the  parts  of  a  holy  life.  Help 
me  to  imitate  Thy  devotion  in  prayer.  Thy  con- 
formity to  God,  Thy  zeal  and  meekness,  Thy 
patience  and  charity,  that  I  may  grow  up  with 
the  increase  of  God,  till  I  come  to  the  full  mea- 
sure of  the  stature  of  Christ,  and  at  last  in  Thy 
light  may  see  light,  0  blessed  and  holy  Saviour, 
Jesus.     Amen. 


THIED  TUESDAY  IN  LEKT. 

CHRISTIAN  FORGIVENESS. 

"Forbearing  one  another,  and  forgiving  one  another,  if  any  man 
have  a  quarrel  against  any:  even  as  Christ  forgave  you,  so 
also  do  ye."    Col.  iii.  13. 

Long-suffering. — ^In  this  one  word  are  con- 
tained all  the  treasures  of  the  Divine  goodness  : 
here  is  the  length  and  extension  of  His  mercy. 
God  is  provoked  every  day,  by  the  obstinacy  of 
the  Jews,  and  the  folly  of  the  heathens,  and  the 
noo:li2:ence  and  vices  of  Christians :  and  He  that 
can  behold  no  impurity  is  received  in  all  places 
with  stained  souls,  and  the  actions  and  issues  of 
misbelief  and  an  evil  conscience  ;  and  men  con- 
tinue ten  years,  and  twenty,  and  thirty,  in  a 
course  of  sinning,  and  they  grow  old  with  the 
vices  of  their  youth ;  and  yet  God  forbears  to 
kill  them,  and  to  consign  them  to  an  eternity  of 
horrid  pains,  still  expecting  they  should  repent 
and  be  saved.  God  also  excuses  a  sinner  often- 
times, and  takes  a  little  thing  for  an  excuse.  He 
forgets  our  sin,  and  puts  it  out  of  His  remem- 
brance. He  makes  penitence  to  be  as  pure  as 
innocence  to  all  the  effects  of  pardon  and  glory, 
14 


158  THIKD   TUESDAY   IN"   LENT. 

and  He  pardons  even  before  we  ask ;  for  He 
tliat  "bids  ns  ask  for  pardon,  hath  in  design  and 
purpose  done  the  thing  ah-eady.  He  hath  done 
all  that  belongs  to  God ;  that  is,  all  that  concerns 
the  pardon.  There  it  lies  ready ;  it  is  recorded 
in  the  book  of  life ;  it  wants  nothing  but  being 
exemplified,  and  taken  forth  ;  and  the  Holy 
Spirit  stands  ready  to  consign  and  pass  the 
privy  signet,  that  we  may  exhibit  it  to  devils 
and  evil  men  when  they  tempt  us  to  despair  or 
sin. 

Moreover,  God  pardons  the  greatest  sinners, 
and  has  left  them  upon  record ;  such  were  St. 
Paul  a  persecutor,  -and  St.  Peter  that  forswore 
his  Master ;  Mary  Magdalene  with  seven  devils, 
and  the  thief  upon  the  cross ;  and  God  proclaim- 
ed in  a  cloud  before  the  face  of  all  Israel,  and 
made  it  to  be  His  name :  "  The  Lord,  the  Lord 
God,  merciful  and  gracious  :''  "  He  is  ready  to 
forgive,"  and  upon  this  stock  thrives  the  interest 
of  our  great  ho23e,  the  hope  of  a  blessed  immor- 
tality. 

And  because  it  is  infinitely  reasonable,  that 
he  that  needs  a  great  pardon  should  not  stick  at 
the  giving  a  little  ;  and  he  that  desires  to  be  like 
God  should  do  like  Him ;  therefore  in  this,  as  in 
all  other  things,  we  must  follow  God's  example  : 
for  in  this  alone  He  else  will  follow  ours.  If  we 
will  forgive.  He  will ;  if  we  will  not,  neither  will 
He ;  for  He  makes  His  spear  as  long,  and  His 


CHRISTIAN   FORGIVENESS.  159 

anger  as  lasting,  as  we  do  ours.  "  He  that  re- 
vengetli,"  saitli  the  famous  Bensirach,  "  shall 
find  vengeance  of  the  Lord,  and  He  will  surely 
keep  his  sins  in  remembrance.  Forgive  thy 
neiglibor  the  hurt  that  he  hath  done  unto  thee  ; 
so  shall  thy  sins  also  be  forgiven  wdien  thou 
prayest.  One  man  keepeth  anger  against  an- 
other ;  and  doth  he  seek  healing  from  the  Lord  ? 
He  showeth  no  mercy  to  any  man  that  is  like 
himself ;  and  doth  he  ask  forgiveness  for  his  own 
sins  ?  If  he  that  is  but  flesh,  nourish  hatred,  w^ho 
will  entreat  for  pardon  of  his  sins  ?"  The  duty  is 
plain,  and  the  reason  urgent ;  the  commandment 
express,  and  the  threatening  terrible,  and  the 
promises  excellent.  For  concerning  every  one 
of  our  brethren  it  is  equally  true,  that  he  is  an 
excellent  creation,  that  he  is  thy  brother,  that 
he  is  heir  of  the  same  hopes,  born  to  the  same 
inheritance,  descended  of  the  same  father,  nursed 
by  the  Church,  which  is  his  mother  and  thine  ; 
that  there  is  in  him  God's  image,  drawn  by  the 
same  hand,  described  in  the  same  lines.  God 
hath  made  many  decrees  for  him,  and  the  angels 
minister  to  him,  and  Christ  died  for  him,  and  his 
soul  is  very  precious  in  the  eyes  of  God,  and  why 
shouldst  thou  despise,  and  why  shouldst  thou 
stand  out  against  all  this  ? 

The  wise  man  says,  "That  for  some  things 
there  will  be  no  returning  again ;"  a  blow,  in- 
deed, or  an  evil  word,  may  be  pardoned ;  but 


160  THIRD   TIJESDAY   IN   LENT. 

for  "upbraiding  and  pride,  and  disclosing  se- 
crets, and  a  treaclierous  wound,  every  friend 
will  depart,  and  never  return  again."  But  even 
these  also,  and  greater  than  these,  must  be  par- 
doned, unless  we  would  prescribe  a  limit  to 
God's  mercy,  in  the  remission  of  our  own  sins. 
He  will  pardon  every  sin  of  ours,  for  the  pardon 
of  which  we  can  rightly  pray ;  but  yet  we  must 
pray  for  it,  and  hope  it  upon  no  measures,  but 
those  of  our  forgiveness. 

Every  man  that  hath  received  injuries,  be 
they  ever  so  great,  must  have  a  mind  perfectly 
free  from  all  intentions  of  revenge,  in  any  in- 
stance whatever. 

He  must  so  forgive  as  never  to  upbraid  the 
crime  any  more,  and  so  pardon  as  that  he  en- 
deavor to  make  his  enemy  to  be  his  friend. 

Yet  more,  he  that  would  be  truly  charitable 
in  his  forgiveness  must  so  pardon  liis  enemy 
that  he  restore  him  to  the  same  state  of  love 
and  friendship  as  before.  This  is  urged  by  St. 
Bernard,  as  the  great  imitation  of  the  Divine 
mercy.  God  hath  so  freely,  so  entirely  par- 
doned our  sins,  that  He  neither  condemns  by 
revenging,  nor  confounds  by  upbraiding,  nor 
loves  less  by  imputing.  He  revenges  not  at 
all ;  He  never  upbraids ;  and  when  He  hath 
once  pardoned.  He  never  imputes  it  to  any  evil 
purposes  any  more. 

I  should  be  thought  severe  if  I  should  say 


CHRISTIAN   FOKGIYENESS.  161 

that  "  the  true  forgiveness  and  reconciliation 
does  imply  a  greater  kindness  after  than  be- 
fore ;"  but  such  is  the  effect  of  repentance,  and 
so  is  the  nature  of  love.  But  this  depends  not 
upon  the  injured  person  alone,  but  upon  the 
return  and  repentance  of  him  that  did  it.  For 
no  man  is  the  better  with  God  for  having  sinned 
against  Him ;  and  no  man,  for  having  injured 
his  brother,  can  be  the  better  beloved  by  him. 
But  if  the  sinner  double  his  care  in  his  repent- 
ance, and  if  the  offending  man  increase  his 
kindness,  justice,  and  endearments,  in  his  re- 
turn to  friendship,  then  it  is  the  duty  of  charity 
60  to  pardon,  so  to  restore  as  the  man  deserves. 
And  this  is  that  which  our  blessed  Saviour  says : 
"  If  he  shall  return,  and  say,  '  I  repent,'  thou 
shalt  forgive  him."  For  those  very  enemies 
that  cease  not  still  to  persecute  with  evil  we 
must  pray ;  we  must  bless  them ;  we  must 
speak  as  much  good  of  them  as  occasion  and 
justice  do  require :  but  for  them  that  repent, 
and  ask  pardon,  and  make  amends  as  they  can, 
the  proper  office  of  thy  charity  is  to  pity  thy 
brother's  infirmity,  to  accept  his  sorrow,  to  re- 
move suspicion  from  him,  to  entertain  no  jeal- 
ousies of  him,  but,  in  all  things,  trust  him  where 
charity  is  not  imprudent. 

For  it  is  not  always  safe  to  employ  a  person 
that  hath  deceived  m.y  trust  and  done  me  wrong. 

If  he  offended  by  pride,  by  anger,  by  covetous- 
14C- 


THIRD   TUESDAY   IN   LENT. 

ness,  it  is  not  enough  that  he  say,  "  Sir,  forgive 
me,  I  will  make  you  amends."  It  is  enough  to 
make  you  pardon  him,  and  perfectly  to  be 
reconciled  to  him ;  but,  unless  his  repentance 
hath  destroyed  his  covetousness,  his  anger,  or 
his  pride,  the  evil  principle  remains,  and  he  will 
injure  thee  again.  Therefore,  to  trust  or  employ 
him  in  such  instances,  in  which  he  formerly  did 
injure  thee,  is  not  prudent  nor  safe.  Only  be 
careful  that  you  do  not  mistake  jealousy  for 
prudence,  and  so  lose  the  rewards  of  charity ; 
lest,  when  we  think  ourselves  wise,  we  become 
fools. 

But  if  we  ask  how  long,  and  how  often,  must 
w6  proceed  in  our  forgiveness,  and  accept  of 
the  repentance  of  injurious  persons,  we  need  no 
answer,  but  the  words  of  our  blessed  Saviour : 
"  If  thy  brother  trespass  against  thee,  seven 
times  in  a  day,  and  seven  times  in  a  day  turn 
again  to  thee,  saying  *I  repent,'  thou  shalt 
forgive  him."  And,  though  he  that  sins  fre- 
quently, and  repents  frequently,  gives  great 
reason  to  believe  that  his  repentances  are  but 
pretended,  and  that  such  repentances  before 
God  signify  nothing ;  yet  that  is  nothing  to  us. 
It  may  be  they  are  rendered  ineffectual  by  the 
relapse,  and  that  they  were  good  for  the  present, 
as  Ahab's  was :  but  whether  they  be  or  be  not, 
yet  if  he  be  not  ashamed  to  repent  so  often,  we 
must  think  it  no  imprudence  to  forgive.     And 


CETEISTIAN  FOKGIVENESS.  163 

if  anv  man  think  it  hard  so  often  to  he  tried  to 
accept  his  repentance,  let  him  understand  that 
it  is  because  liimself  hath  not  yet  summed  up 
his  own  accounts,  nor  beheld  with  amazement 
the  vast  number  of  his  sins.  He  that  hath,  in 
deepest  apprehension,  placed  himself  before  the 
dreadful  tribunal  of  God,  or  felt  the  smart  of 
conscience,  or  hath  been  affrighted  with  the 
fears  of  hell,  will,  not  be  ready  to  afflict  his 
brother  for  a  trifle,  because  he  considers  his 
own  dangers  of  perishing  for  a  sum  which  can 
never  be  paid,  if  it  never  be  forgiven. 

And  because  we  are  now  upon  the  title  of 
charity,  I  am  to  add,  that,  if  the  criminal  does 
not  come  for  pardon,  the  offended  person  must 
offer  peace.  By  so  doing  we  imitate  God, 
whom,  though  we  have  so  often,  so  infinitely 
offended,  yet  He  thought  thoughts  of  peace, 
and  sent  to  us  ambassadors  of  peace  and  min- 
istps  of  reconciliation :  and  it  is  no  shame  to 
thee  to  offer  peace  to  thy  offending  brother, 
when  thy  God  did  so  to  thee,  who  was  greatly 
provoked  by  thee,  and  could  as  greatly  have 
been  revenged.  Peter  Comestor  tells  us  of  an 
old  tradition  of  the  ancients,  that,  "  forty  years 
before  the  day  of  judgment,  the  bow  which 
God  placed  in  the  clouds  shall  not  be  seen  at 
all :"  meaning  that  since  the  rainbow  was  placed 
there,  as  a  sign  of  mercy  and  reconcilement — 
when  the  sacrament  of  mercy  and  peace  shall 


164  THIRD   TTJESDAT   IN   LENT. 

disappear — then  God  will  come  to  judge  the 
world  in  fire,  and  an  intolerable  tempest,  in 
which  all  the  uncharitable,  unforgiving  persons, 
shall  forever  be  confounded. 

Remember  always  what  the  Holy  Jesus  hath 
done  for  thee.  I  shall  represent  it  in  the  words 
of  St.  Bernard:  "O  Blessed  Jesus,  we  have 
heard  strange  things  of  Thee — all  the  world 
tells  us  such  things  of  Thee,  that  must  need 
make  us  run  after  Thee.  They  say  that  Thou 
despisest  not  the  poor,  nor  refusest  tli£  returning 
sinner.  We  are  told  that  Thou  didst  pardon  the 
thief,  when  he  confessed  his  sin,  and  confessed 
Thee:  and  Mary  Magdalen,  when  she  wept; 
and  didst  accept  the  Syrophoenician  when  she 
prayed ;  and  wouldst  not  give  sentence  of  con- 
demnation upon  the  woman  taken  in  adultery, 
even  because  she  looked  sadly,  and  was  truly 
ashamed.  Thou  didst  not  reject  him  that  sat  at 
the  receipt  of  custom,  nor  the  humble  publican, 
nor  them  that  persecuted  Thy  disciples,  no,  nor 
them  that  crucified  Thee.  These  are  Thy  pre- 
cious ointments,  apt,  with  their  sweetness,  to 
allure  all  the  world  after  Tliee,  and  with  their 
virtue  to  heal  them.  After  Thee  and  Thy  sweet 
odors,  O  blessed  Jesu,  we  will  run."  Happy  is 
he  that  says  so,  and  does  so ;  transcribing  His 
example  into  our  conversation ;  for  we  can  no 
way  please  Him  but  by  being  like  him  :  and  in 


CHRISTIAN   FORGIVENESS.  165 

tlie   blessings   of  Christ,  the  uncharitable  ana 
revenging  man  shall  never  have  a  portion. 


PRATER. 

0  Blessed  Saviour,  who  of  Thine  infinite  pity 
didst  descend  from  heaven  to  earth  that  Thou 
mightest  reconcile  us  to  Thy  Father,  and  hast 
commanded  us  to  love  them  that  hate  us,  and 
to  pray  for  them  that  are  our  enemies ;  grant 
that  the  spirit  of  love  and  of  forgiveness  may 
triumph  in  me  over  all  anger  and  malice  and 
revenge,  that  I  may  be  the  child  of  God,  and  in 
the  day  of  restitution  of  all  things  may  receive 
the  portion  of  the  charitable,  even  the  rewards 
of  Thy  Right  Hand:  through  Thy  merits  and 
Thy  mercy,  0  Holy  and  Gracious  Saviour 
Amen. 


rouETH  wedot:sdat  in  le:n"t. 

GRATITUDE  FOR  DAILY  MERCIES. 

"  Whoso  is  wise,  and  will  observe  these  things,  even  they  shall  un- 
derstand the  loving-kindness  of  the  Lord."   Psalm  cvii.  43. 

Man-  having  destroyed  that  which  God  de- 
lighted in,  that  is,  the  beauty  of  his  soul — fell 
into  an  evil  portion ;  and,  being  seized  npon  by 
the  Divine  justice,  grew  miserable,  and  con- 
demned to  an  incurable  sorrow.  But  he  who 
thus  stood  condemned  and  undone,  under  all 
the  other  attributes  of  God,  was  saved  and  res- 
cued by  His  mercy  ;  that  it  may  be  evident  that 
God's  mercy  is  above  all  His  works,  and  above 
all  ours — greater  than  the  creation,  and  greater 
than  our  sins. 

We  looked  for  a  judge,  and  behold  a  Saviour! 
"We  feared  an  accuser,  and  behold  an  Advocate ! 
"We  sat  down  in  sorrow,  and  rise  in  joy.  And 
all  that  God  restored  to  us  after  the  forfeiture  of 
Adam,  grew  to  be  a  double  kindness  ;  it  became 
the  expression  of  a  bounty  which  knew  not  how 
to  repent — a  graciousness  that  was  not  to  be 
altered,  though  we  were. 

God's  mercies,  or  the  mercies  of  His  giving, 


GRATITUDE  FOR   DAILY   MERCIES.  167 

came  first  upon  us,  by  mending  our  nature ;  for 
Christ  hath  clone  us  more  grace  and  advantage 
than  we  lost  in  Adam.  Man's  living  soul  is 
changed  into  a  quickening  spirit,  and  Christ  hath 
carried  him  his  human  nature  above  the  seats  of 
angels,  to  the  place  whither  "  Lucifer,  the  son  of 
the  morning,"  aspired  to  ascend,  but  in  his  at- 
tempt, fell  into  hell. 

And,  whereas,  in  this  life  our  constitution  is 
weak,  and  our  bodies  apt  to  imperfection,  and 
evil  accidents — God  hath  in  His  infinite  mercy 
provided  for  every  condition,  rare  suppletories 
of  comfort  and  usefulness,  to  make  recomj^ense 
for  those  natural  defects,  which  were  apt  to 
make  our  persons  otherwise  contemptible,  and 
our  conditions  intolerable.  God  gives  to  blind 
men  better  memories ;  want  of  children  He 
recompenses  with  freedomi  from  care;  he  that 
wants  one  eye  hath  the  force  and  vigorousness 
of  both  united  in  that  which  is  left  him ;  and 
whenever  any  man  is  afliicted  with  sorrow,. his 
reason  and  his  religion,  himself  and  all  his 
friends,  run  in  to  comfort  him ;  and  he  may,  if 
he  will  observe  wisely,  find  so  many  circumstan- 
ces of  ease  and  remission,  so  many  designs  of 
providence,  and  studied  favors,  that  in  the  whole 
sum  of  afi'airs,  it  often  happens  that  a  single 
cross  is  a  double  blessing;  and  that  even  in  a 
temporal  sense,  ''  it  is  better  to  go  to  the  house 
of  mourning"  than  of  joys. 


168  FOURTH   WEDNESDAY   IN   LENT. 

God  hatli  sent  no  greater  evil  into  the  world 
tlian  that,  "  in  the  sweat  of  our  brows  we  shall 
eat  our  bread ;"  and  in  the  difficulty  and  agony, 
in  the  sorrows  and  contention  of  our  souls,  we 
shall  "work  out  our  salvation." 

But  this  labor  and  sweat  of  our  brows  is  so 
far  from  being  a  curse,  that  without  it,  our  very 
bread  would  not  be  so  great  a  blessing.  Is  it 
not  labor  that  makes  the  garlic  and  the  pulse, 
the  sycamore  and  the  cresses,  to  be  savory  and 
pleasant,  as  the  fle^i  of  the  roebuck,  or  the 
milk  of  the  kine  ?  If  it  were  not  for  labor,  men 
neither  could  relish  so  pleasantly,  nor  sleep  so 
soundly,  nor  be  so  healthful  nor  so  useful,  so 
strong  nor  so  patient.  And  besides  these  ad- 
vantages, the  mercies  of  God  liave  found  out 
proper  and  natural  remedies  for  labor ; — nights 
to  cure  the  sweat  of  the  day — sleep  to  ease  our 
watchfulness — rest  to  alleviate  our  burdens — ■ 
and  days  of  religion  to  procure  our  rest ;  and 
things  are  so  ordered,  tliat  labor  is  become  a 
duty,  and  is  therefore  necessary ;  not  only  be- 
cause we  need  it  for  making  provisions  for  our 
life,  but  even  to  ease  the  labor  of  our  rest; 
there  being  no  greater  tediousness  of  spirit  in 
the  world  than  want  of  employment  and  an  in- 
active life. 

But  then  for  the  other  part  of  the  severe  law, 
that  we  must  work  out  our  spiritual  interest 
with  the  labors  of  our  spirit :  this  hath  also  in 


GRATITUDE   FOR   DAILY   MERCIES.  169 

it  a  great  ingredient  of  mercy,  or  rather  is  noth- 
ing else  than  a  heap  of  mercy  in  its  entire  con- 
stitution. For  if  it  were  not  for  this,  we  had 
nothing  of  om*  own  to  present  to  God,  for  noth- 
ing can  distinguish  man  from  man,  in  order  to 
beatitude,  but  choice,  and  election  ;  and  nothing 
can  ennoble  choice  but  love,  and  nothing  can 
exercise  love  but  difficulty.  And  therefore, 
whenever  any  of  you  are  tempted  violently,  or 
grow  weary  in  your  spirits  with  resisting  the 
petulancy  of  temptation,  you  may  be  cured,  if 
you  will  please  to  remember  and  rejoice,  that 
now  you  have  something  of  your  own  to  give  to 
God — something  that  He  will  be  pleased  to  ac- 
cept— something  that  He  hath  given  thee,  that 
thou  mayest  give  it  Him. 

As  an  appendage  to  this  instance  of  Divine 
mercy,  we  are  to  account  that  God  brings  good 
out  of  evil;  which  is  that  solemn  triumph  which 
mercy  makes  over  justice,  when  it  rides  upon  a 
cloud,  and  crowns  its  darkness  with  a  robe  of 
glorious  light.  It  is  a  sad  calamity  to  see  a 
kingdom  spoiled,  and  a  church  afflicted;  re- 
ligion made  a  cause  of  trouble,  and  the  best 
men  persecuted;  government  confounded,  and 
laws  ashamed.  And  what  shall  make  recom- 
pense for  this  heap  of  sorrows  whenever  God 
shall  send  such  swords  of  fire  ?  Even  the  mer- 
cies of  God,  which  shall  then  be  made  public ; 
for  men  shall  grow  wiser  and  more  holy,  and 
15 


170  FOURTH   WEDI^SDAY   IN   LENT. 

be  taught  patience  by  their  suffering,  and 
charity  by  their  persecution,  and  at  last,  the 
secret  worm  that  lay  at  the  root  of  the  plant 
shall  be  drawn  forth  and  quite  extinguished. 
Do  not  think  the  Judge  condemns  you,  when 
He  chides  you ;  nor  think  to  read  thy  final  sen- 
tence by  the  first  half  of  His  words.  Stand 
still,  and  see  how  it  will  be  in  the  whole  event 
of  things.  Let  God  speak  His  mind  out ;  for 
it  may  be,  this  sad  beginning  is  but  an  art  to 
bring  in  the  blessing. 

Let  us  also  consider  that  God,  having  secured 
us  from  the  evils  of  nature,  and  represented 
Himself  to  be  our  Father,  which  is  the  greatest 
expression  of  an  unalterable  kindness.  He  next 
makes  provision  for  us  to  supply  all  those  ne- 
cessities which  Himself  hath  made.  Is  not  all 
the  earth  our  orchard  and  our  granary,  our 
vineyard  and  our  garden  of  j)leasure  ?  and  all 
the  face  of  heaven  is  a  repository  for  fruitful 
showers  and  fair  refreshments.  When  God 
made  provisions  for  His  other  creatures.  He 
gave  it  of  one  kind,  and  with  variety  no  greater 
than  the  changes  of  day  and  night;  but  man 
hath  all  the  food  of  beasts,  and  all  the  beasts 
themselves  that  are  fit  for  food,  and  the  food  of 
angels,  and  the  dew  of  heaven,  and  the  fatness 
of  the  earth.  And  in  the  covering  our  sin  and 
clothing  our  nakedness,  God  passed  from  fig- 
leaves  to  the  skins  of  beasts,  from  leather  to 


GRATITUDE   FOE   DAILY   MERCIES.  171 

wool,  from  thence  to  the  warmth  of  furs  and 
the  coolness  of  silks ;  and  God  uses  ns  as  Jo- 
seph did  his  brother  Benjamin;  we  have  many 
changes  of  raiment,  and  our  mess  is  five  times 
bigger  than  the  provision  made  for  our  brothers 
of  the  creation.  Is  it  not  a  great  thing,  also, 
that  God  hath  made  such  strange  provisions  for 
our  health  ?  It  was  a  huge  diligence  and  care 
of  the  Divine  mercj  that  discovered  to  man  such 
infinite  differences  of  plants,  and  the  strange 
efi'ects  of  accidental  mixtures,  which  the  .art  of 
man  could  not  suspect ;  being  bound  up  in  the 
secret  sanctuaiy  of  hidden  causes  and  secret 
natures,  and  being  laid  open  bj  the  concourse 
of  twenty  or  thirty  little  accidents,  all  which 
were  ordered  by  God  as  certainly  as  are  the 
first  principles  of  nature,  or  the  descent  of  sons 
from  the  fathers  in  the  most  noble  families. 

And  if  God  is  so  merciful  in  making  fair  pro- 
visions for  our  less  noble  part,  in  order  to  the 
transition  towards  our  country,  we  may  expect 
that  the  mercies  of  God  have  rare  arts  to  secure 
to  us  His  designed  bounty  in  order  to  that  which 
ought  to  be  our  portion  forever.  And  here  I 
consider,  that  it  is  an  infinite  mercy  of  the  Al- 
mighty Father  of  Mercies,  that  He  hath  ap- 
pointed to  us  such  a  religion,  that  leads  us  to  a 
huge  felicity  through  pleasant  ways.  The  very 
charity,  and  love,  and  mercy,  that  is  commanded 
in  our  religion,  is  in  itself  a  great  excellency, 


172  FOUBTH   WEDNESDAY   IN   LENT. 

not  only  in  order  to  heaven,  bnt  to  the  comforts 
of  the  earth  too.  He  that  sent  charity  and 
friendships  into  the  world,  intended  charity  to 
do  its  effect  both  npon  the  loving  and  beloved 
person.  Every  man  rejoices  twice  when  he 
hath  a  partner  of  his  joy,  for  a  friend  shares  my 
sorrow,  and  makes  it  but  a  moiety;  but  he 
swells  my  joy,  and  makes  it  double. 

And  upon  this  account  I  may  also  reckon  the 
little  streams  of  comfort  which  God  hath  made 
to  issue  from  that  religion  to  which  God  hath 
obliged  us  ;  such  as  are  the  glories  of  converting 
souls,  of  rescuing  a  sinner  from  hell,  of  a  miser- 
able man  from  the  grave, — the  honor  and  noble- 
ness of  being  a  good  man, — the  noble  confidence 
and  bravery  of  innocence,  the  ease  of  patience, 
— the  quiet  of  contentedness, — the  rest  of  peace- 
fulness, — the  worthiness  of  forgiving  others, — 
the  greatness  of  spirit  that  is  in  despising  riches, 
— and  the  sweetness  of  spirit  that  is  in  meekness 
and  humility.  These  are  Christian  graces  in 
every  sense ;  favors  of  God,  and  issues  of  His 
bounty  and  His  mercy.  And  God  hath  made 
them  necessary ;  He  hath  obliged  us  to  have 
them,  under  pain  of  damnation ;  He  hath  made 
it  so  sure  to  us  to  become  happy,  even  in  this 
world,  that  if  we  will  not.  He  hath  threatened 
to  destroy  us.  You  see  the  largeness  of  this 
treasure,  but  we  can  see  no  end.  God's  own 
words,  describing  mercy  in  all  those  dimensions, 


GRATITUDE   FOR   DAILY   MERCIES.  173 

can  alone  signify  to  us  its  greatness  and  infinity. 
His  mercy  ''  is  great,"  His  mercies  "  are  many," 
His  mercy  "reacheth  unto  the  heavens,"  it 
"  fills  heaven  and  earth,"  it  is  "  above  all  His 
works,"  "it  endureth  forever." 

The  result  of  this  consideration  is,  that  as  we 
fear  tlie  Divine  judgments,  so  we  adore  and 
love  His  goodness,  and  let  the  golden  chains  of 
the  Divine  mercy  tie  us  to  a  noble  prosecution 
of  our  duty  and  the  interests  of  religion.  For 
he  is  the  worst  of  men  whom  kindness  cannot 
soften,  nor  endearment  oblige,  whom  gratitude 
cannot  tie  faster  than  the  bands  of  life  and 
death.  Fear  is  stronger  than  death,  and  love  is 
more  prevalent  than  fear,  and  kindness  is  the 
greatest  endearment  of  love ;  and  yet,  to  an  in- 
genuous person,  gratitude  is  greater  than  all 
these,  and  obliges  to  a  solemn  duty,  when  love 
fails,  and  fear  is  dull  and  inactive,  and  death 
itself  is  despised. 

Let  us  take  heed,  for  mercy  is  like  a  rainbow, 
which  God  set  in  the  clouds  to  remember  man- 
kind. It  shines  here  as  long  as  it  is  not  hin- 
dered ;  but  we  must  never  look  for  it  after  it  is 
night,  and  it  shines  not  in  the  other  world. 

If  we  refuse  mercy  here,  we  shall  have  justice 
to  eternity. 

15« 


174:  FOURTH   WEDJq^ESDAY   IN   LENT. 


PEATEE. 

O  most  merciful  God,  whose  mercies  are  high 
as  the  heavens,  great  and  many  as  the  moments 
of  eternity ;  till  my  soul,  I  beseech  Thee,  with 
great  apprehensions  of  Thy  unspeakable  bless- 
ings, that  my  thankfulness  may  be  as  great  as 
my  needs  of  mercy  are.  Let  Thy  loving-kind- 
ness endure  forever  and  ever  upon  me,  and  be- 
cause I  cannot  praise  Thee  according  to  Thy 
excellence,  take  my  soul,  in  due  time,  into  the 
land  of  everlasting  praises,  that  I  may  spend  a 
whole  eternity  in  ascribing  to  Thy  name  praise, 
and  honor,  and  dominion.  Grant  this  for  Jesus 
Christ's  sake,  our  Lord  and  only  Saviour.    Amen. 


FOUETH  THUESDAY  IN  LENT, 

WATCHFULNESS. 
"  "Watch  and  pray,  lest  ye  enter  into  temptation."    Mark  xiv.  38. 

God,  who  is  the  Fountain  of  good,  did  choose 
rather  to  bring  good  out  of  evil  than  not  to 
Buffer  any  evil  to  be.  He  has  disposed  us  in 
such  a  condition  that  our  virtues  must  be  diffi- 
cult, and  our  dangers  proportionable ;  in  order 
that  our  labor  might  be  great,  and  our  dangers 
pass  into  security  and  honor.  It  is  every  man's 
case,  and  we  are  so  sure  to  be  tempted,  that  in 
the  deepest  peace  and  silence  of  the  spirit  often- 
times is  our  greatest  danger.  JSTot  to  be  tempted 
is  sometimes  our  most  subtle  temptation.  AYe 
must  not,  therefore,  wonder  that  oftentimes  it  so 
happens  that  nothing  will  remove  a  temptation  ; 
no  diligence,  no  advices,  no  labor,  no  prayers ; 
— not  because  these  are  ineffectual,  but  because 
it  is  most  fit  the  temptation  should  abide.  For 
certain  it  is,  unless  we  first  be  cut  and  hewn  in 
the  mountains,  we  shall  not  be  fixed  in  the 
temple  of  God. 

St.  Cyprian  often  observes,  and  makes  much 


176  rOUKTH   THUESDAY   IN   LENT. 

of  the  discourse,  that  the  devil,  when  he  intends 
a  battery,  first  views  the  strength  and  situation, 
of  the  place.  His  sense,  drawn  out  of  the  cloud 
of  an  allegory,  is  this :  The  devil  first  considers 
the  constitution  and  temper  of  the  person  he  is 
to  tempt,  and  where  he  observes  his  natural  in- 
clination apt  for  a  vice,  he  presents  him  with 
objects,  and  opportunity,  and  arguments  fitting 
to  his  disposition.  It  w^ere  good,  therefore,  that 
we  w^ere  conscious  of  our  own  weaknesses,  and 
by  special  acts  fortify  that  part  where  we  are 
exposed  to  danger.  We  are  sure  enough  to 
meet  a  storm  there,  and  we  also  are  likely  to 
perish  in  it,  unless  w^e  correct  those  natural  dis- 
positions, and  reduce  them  to  the  evenness  of 
virtue,  or  the  affections  and  moderf^tions  of  a 
good  nature. 

But  the  devil  also  observes  all  our  exterior  ac- 
cidents, occasions,  and  opportunities  of  action. 
He  sees  what  company  we  keep ;  he  observes 
what  degree  of  love  we  have  to  our  wives,  what 
affection  to  our  children,  how  prevalent  their 
persuasions,  and  to  what  degrees  of  determina- 
tion they  move  us  by  their  importunity. 

The  devil  tempted  Adam  by  his  wife.  It  was 
her  hand  made  the  fruit  beauteous  to  Adam. 
*'  She  saw  it  fair,"  of  itself,  "  and  so  she  ate ;" 
but  Adam  was  not  moved  by  that  argument ; 
but,  "The  w^oman  gave  it  me  and  I  did  eat." 
She  gave  vivacity  to  the  temptation,  and  efficacy 


WATCHFULNESS.  177 

to  the  argument.  Here,  therefore,  it  is  our  safest 
course,  not  to  let  our  fondnesses  convert  into  a 
snare,  but  to  make  a  retrenchment  of  all  those 
excrescences  of  affections  which,  like  wild  and 
irregular  suckers,  draw  away  nourishment  from 
the  trunk. 

We  also  have  ends  and  designs  of  our  own — 
some  great  purpose,  upon  which  the  greatest 
part  of  our  life  turns.  It  may  be,  we  are  to 
raise  a  family,  to  recover  a  sunk  estate  ;  or  else 
ambition,  honor,  or  a  great  employment  is  the 
great  hinge  of  all  our  greater  actions ;  and  some 
men  are  apt  to  make  haste  to  be  rich,  or  are  to 
pass  through  a  great  many  difficulties  to  be 
honorable  :  and  here  the  devil  will  swell  the 
hopes  and  obstruct  the  passages ;  making  the 
way  to  the  purchase  of  our  purposes  so  full  of 
employment  and  variety,  that  the  multitude  of 
transactions  may  increase  the  danger  and  multi- 
ply the  sin. 

To  prevent  the  infinite  inconveniences  that 
thrust  themselves  into  the  common -and  great 
roads  of  life,  the  best  course  is  to  cut  our  great 
channel  into  little  rivulets,  making  our  ends  the 
more,  that  we  may  be  indifferent  to  any — pro- 
posing nothing  great,  that  our  desires  may  be 
little.  Thus,  if  we  propound  to  ourselves  an 
honest  employment  or  a  great  retirement ;  a 
work  of  charity  abroad,  or  of  devotion  at  home  : 
if  we  miss  in  our  first  setting  forth,  we  return  to 


178        FOUKTH  THURSDAY  ES"  LENT. 

sliore,  where  we  can  negotiate  with  content,  it 
being  alike  to  iis  either  to  traffic  abroad  with 
more  gain,  or  trade  at  home  with  more  safety. 
But  when  we  once  grow  great  in  our  desires, 
fixing  too  earnestly  upon  one  object,  we  either 
grow  impatient,  or  take  ill  courses  and  use  un- 
lawful means.  We  have  seen  the  even  and  tem- 
perate lives  of  indifferent  persons  continue  in 
many  degrees  of  innocence  ;  but  the  temptation 
of  busy  designs  is  too  great,  even  for  the  best  of 
dispositions. 

A  further  principle  of  temptation  is,  an  opinion 
of  prosecuting  actions  of  civility,  compliance, 
and  society,  to  the  neglect  of  a  point  of  piety 
and  stricter  duty.  Good  natures — persons  of 
humane  and  sweeter  dispositions — are  too  apt 
to  dash  on  this  rock  of  oifence;  and  therefore, 
when  we  mingle  in  affairs,  it  will  concern  our 
safety  to  watch,  lest  multitude  of  talk,  goodness, 
the  delight  of  company,  and  facility  of  nature, 
do  by  degrees  draw  us  away  from  our  guards 
and  retirement  of  spirit.  For  if  we  give  way  so 
far  as  we  think  it  tolerable,  we  instantly  and  un- 
discernibly  pass  into  unlawful  and  criminal. 

In  all  the  instances  of  this  great  evil,  the  very 
stating  the  question  right  is  above  half  the  vic- 
tory ;  for  it  is  a  question  between  mistaken  civil- 
ity and  certain  duty.  God  and  man  are  the  par- 
ties interested ;  and  to  counterpoise  the  influence 
of  the  sight  of  man,  which  being  in  a  visible 


WATCHFULNESS.  179 

communication,  it  is  not  in  some  natures  to 
neglect,  there  are  all  the  excellences  of  God,  the 
severities  of  His  judgment,  and  the  sweetness  and 
invitation  of  His  mercies  ;  besides  the  prudence, 
wisdom,  and  satisfaction  to  the  spirit,  w^hen  we 
wisely  neglect  temptations,  in  compliance  with 
the  purposes  of  God  and  our  own  felicities. 

There  are  moreover  some  diseases  more  proper 
to  the  particular  state  of  religion.  To  young 
beginners  in  religion,  the  devil  represents  the 
difficulties  of  religion,  and  propounds  the  greater 
examples  of  holy  persons,  and  affrights  them 
with  those  mountains  of  piety  ;  that,  by  be- 
lie\^ng  no  piety  less  than  the  greatest  can  be 
good,  they  may  despair  of  those  heights  and  re- 
tire into  the  securities  and  indifferences  of  a 
careless  life.  But  this  is  to  be  cured  by  those 
instruments  of  piety,  which  in  special  are  incen- 
tives of  the  love  of  God ;  and  particularly  by 
consideration  of  the  Divine  goodness;  "TVlio 
knows  whereof  we  are  made,  and  remembers 
that  we  are  but  dust,"  and  will  require  of  us  no 
more,  than  according  to  our  powers  and  present 
capacities.  But  most  commonly  young  begin- 
ners are  zealous  and  hio-h,  and  the  devil  uses  to 
prompt  them  on  ;  not  that  he  loves  the  piety  and 
tlie  progress,  but  that  he  would  engage  the  per- 
son in  imprudences.  We  shall  observe  new  pen- 
itents too  often  undertaking  great  austerities, 
making  tows,  and  casting  bands  upon  their  lib- 


180  FOIJKTH   THURSDAY   IN   LENT. 

ertj,  and  snares  upon  tlieir  persons :  but  the 
observation  of  the  final  accidents  of  tbese  men 
hath  given  proof  of  the  indiscretion  of  such  be- 
ginnings ;  the  vow  does  not  secure  the  piety, 
but  the  weariness  of  the  duty  tempts  to  the 
breaking  of  the  vow. 

I  shall  not  need  further  to  observe  such  temp- 
tations which  are  direct  invitations  to  sin  ;  such 
as  are  security,  too  much  confidence,  pride,  and 
vanity :  but  it  remains  that  I  speak  of  such  gen- 
eral antidotes  as  are  preventions,  and  good  ad- 
vices in  general. 

Holy  Scripture,  which  is  admirable  and  curi- 
ous, in  the  cautions  and  securities  of  virtue, 
does  not  determine  its  precepts  in  precise  com- 
mands; but  also  blocks  up  all  the  ways  and 
avenues  of  vice,  commanding  us  "To  make  a 
covenant  with  our  eyes ;"  to  "  Set  a  watch  be- 
fore our  mouths;"  to  "Keep  the  door  of  our 
lips ;"  that  sin  may  not  come  so  near  as  to  be 
repulsed. 

Possibly  indeed,  without  fault,  we  may  be 
engaged  in  a  temptation,  but  then  we  must  be 
diligent  to  resist  the  first  beginnings. 

If  the  temptation  be  to  thoughts  of  impurity, 
let  the  resistance  be  by  flight ;  for  all  consider- 
ations of  such  subjects  make  the  soul  entertain 
the  fancy.  Even  the  pulling  pitch  from  our 
clothes  defiles  the  fingers,  and  chaste  souls  do, 
even  to  death,  resent  the  least  image  of  impurity. 


WATCHFULNESS.  181 

In  other  cases  the  following  considerations 
have  the  best  and  most  univereal  influence  in 
subduing  temptation. 

First.  "  Consideration  of  the  presence  of  God," 
who  is  witness  of  all  our  actions  and  a  revenger 
of  all  impiety.  They  w^ho  are  servants  of  the 
eyes  of  God,  and  walk  as  in  the  Divine  presence, 
perceive  the  same  restraints  in  darkness,  and 
closets,  and  grots,  as  in  the  light  and  midst  of 
theatres ;  since  the  Divine  presence  hath  made 
all  places  holy,  and  we  desecrate  the  ground 
w^hereon  we  stand  supported  by  the  arm  of  God, 
and  enlightened  by  His  eye  when  we  sin  in  so 
sacred  a  presence. 

Meditation  upon  death  is  a  second  great  in- 
strument against  temptation;  "My  soul  is  al- 
ways in  Thy  hand,  therefore  do  I  keep  Thy 
commandments,"  said  David.  He  looked  upon 
himself  as  a  dying  person,  and  that  restrained 
all  his  inordinations,  and  so  he  prayed — "Lord, 
teach  me  to  number  my  days  that  I  may  apply 
my  heart  unto  wisdom."  And  therefore  the 
Egyptians  used  to  serve  up  a  skeleton  to  their 
feasts,  that  the  vapors  of  wine  might  be  re- 
strained with  that  bunch  of  myrrh,  and  the 
vanities  of  their  eyes  chastised  by  that  sad  ob- 
ject. For  when  a  man  stands  perpetually  at 
the  door  of  eternity,  and  every  day  is  building 
of  his  sepulchre,  and  every  night  one  day  ot 
our  life  is  gone  and  passed  into  the  possession  of 
IG 


182  FOURTH   THUESDAT   IN   LENT. 

death,  it  will  concern  us  to  take  care  that  the 
door  leading  to  hell  do  not  open  upon  us,  that 
we  be  not  crushed  to  ruin  bj  the  stones  of  our 
grave,  and  that  our  death  become  not  a  con- 
signation of  us  to  a  sad  eternity. 

But  before,  and  in,  and  after  all  this,  the 
Blessed  Jesus  propounds  prayer  as  a  remedy 
against  temptations :  ''  "Watch  and  pray,  that  ye 
enter  not  into  temptation."  For,  besides  that 
prayer  is  the  great  instrument  of  obtaining  vic- 
tory by  the  grace  of  God,  the  very  praying 
against  a  temptation,  if  it  be  hearty,  fervent, 
and  devout,  is  a  denying  of  it,  and  part  of  the 
victory.  If  temptation  sets  upon  thee,  do  thou 
set  upon  God ;  for  He  is  as  soon  overcome  as 
thou  art,  as  soon  moved  to  good  as  thou  art  to 
evil.  Only,  remember,  that  when  Israel  fought 
against  Amalek,  Moses'  prayer  and  Moses'  hand 
secured  the  victory ;  his  prayer  grew  ineffectual 
when  his  hands  were  slack ;  to  remonstrate  to 
us  that  we  must  co-operate  with  the  grace  of 
God,  praying  devoutly,  and  watching  carefully, 
and  observing  prudently,  and  laboring  with  dili- 
gence and  assiduity. 

PBATER. 

O  Blessed  and  most  Holy  Saviour,  Fountain 
of  grace  and  comfort,  grant  me  to  be  so  careful 
and  watchful  over  my  ways,  that  I  may  never 


WATCHFULNESS.  183 

provoke  Thee  to  anger,  nor  cause  Thee  to  turn 
Thy  face  from  me.  Support  me  in  all  my  needs, 
and  teach  me  to  seek  Thee  in  all  my  trials ;  that 
I  may  walk  in  Thy  footsteps,  guided  by  Thy 
hand,  and  enlightened  by  Thy  favor,  and  may 
at  last  dwell  with  Thee  in  the  regions  of  light 
and  eternal  glory,  where  I  shall  enjoy  the  bless- 
edness of  Thy  presence  forever,  O  Holy  and 
most  Merciful  Saviour.     Amen. 


EOUKTH  FEIDAY  IN  LENT. 

CAEEFUL  EMPLOYMENT  OF  TIME. 

"  Eedeeming  the  time,  because  the  days  are  evil." 
Ephes.  v.  16. 

All  philosophers  which  have  thought  of  the 
nature  of  Time,  and  with  much  subtlety  have 
disputed  what  it  was,  at  length  come  to  con- 
clude that  they  knew  not  what  it  is :  the  most 
they  can  reach  unto  is,  that  no  Time  is  long  ; 
and  that  can  only  be  called  Time  which  is  pres- 
ent, the  which  is  but  a  moment. 

We  have  only  a  moment  in  our  power,  and  a 
moment  which  is  lost  in  the  very  instant  in 
which  we  think  to  grasp  it.  Let  us  cast  our 
eyes  upon  our  life  past ;  let  us  consider  what  is 
become  of  our  infancy,  childhood,  and  youth : 
they  are  now  dead  to  us.  In  the  same  manner 
shall  those  ages  of  our  life  which  are  to  come 
die  also;  and  with  reason,  therefore,  may  this 
life  be  called  the  shadow  of  death,  since,  under 
the  shadow  of  life,  death  steals  upon  us. 

Guerricus,  a  most  famous  divine,  hearing  the 


CAREFUL   EMPLOYMENT   OF   TIME.  185 

fiftli  chapter  of  Genesis  read,  wherein  are  re- 
counted the  sons  and  descendants  of  Adam,  in 
these  terms :  "  The  whole  life  of  Adam  was 
nine  hundred  and  thirty  years,  and  he  died ; 
the  life  of  his  son,  Seth,  was  nine  hundred  and 
twelve  years,  and  he  died,"  and  so  of  the  rest ; 
began  to  think  with  himself,  that  if  such  and  so 
great  men,  after  so  long  time  ended  in  death,  it 
was  not  safe  to  lose  more  time  in  this  world, 
but  so  to  secure  his  life,  that  losing  it  here,  he 
might  find  it  hereafter. 

For  although  we  were  certain  to  live  yet  a 
hundred  years  longer,  we  ought  not  to  spare 
one  minute  from  the  gaining  of  eternity. 

But  since  all  our  life  we  are  dying,  and  this 
minute  in  which  I  now  write  death  divides  with 
me,  and  hath  got  the  surer  part  and  more  certain 
possession,  and  no  man  is  sure  that  he  shall  not 
die  suddenly;  therefore,  if  heaven  be  worth 
securing,  it  were  fit  that  we  should  reckon 
every  day  the  vespers  of  death,  and  that,  ac- 
cording to  the  usual  rites  of  religion,  it  be  begun 
and  spent  with  religious  offices.  It  will  become 
also  not  only  a  duty,  but  a  great  providence, 
to  lay  aside,  for  the  services  of  God  and  the 
businesses  of  the  Spirit,  as  much  as  we  can ; 
because  God  rewards  our  minutes  with  long  and 
eternal  happiness ;  and  the  greater  portion  of 
our  time  we  give  to  God,  the  more  we  treasure 
up  for  ourselves,  and  "  no  man  is  a  better  mer- 
16» 


186  FOUUTH   FEIDAT   IN   LENT. 

chant  than  he  that  lays  out  his  time  upon  God 
and  his  money  upon  the  poor." 

But  that  we  need  not  fear  this  instrument 
to  be  a  snare  to  us,  or  that  the  duty  must  end 
•in  scruple,  vexation,  and  eternal  fears,  we  must 
remember  that  the  life  of  every  man  may  be  so 
ordered  (and  indeed  must),  that  it  may  be  a 
perpetual  serving  of  God.  The  greatest  trouble 
and  most  busy  trade  and  worldly  incumbrances, 
when  they  are  necessary,  or  charitable,  or  profit- 
able in  order  to  any  of  those  ends  which  we  are 
bound  to  serve,  whether  public  or  private,  being 
a  doing  of  God's  work. 

He  that  hath  the  fewest  businesses  of  the 
world,  is  called  upon  to  spend  more  time  in  the 
dressing  of  his  soul ;  and  he  that  hath  the  most 
affairs,  may  so  order  them,  that  they  shall  be  a 
service  of  God ;  while,  at  certain  periods,  they 
are  blessed  with  prayers  and  actions  of  religion, 
and  all  day  long  are  hallowed  by  a  holy  intention. 

For  this  grace  is  so  excellent  that  it  sanctifies 
the  most  common  action  of  our  life.  By  it  every 
action  of  nature  becomes  religious,  and  every 
meal  is  an  act  of  worship  and  shall  have  its 
reward  in  its  proportion  as  well  as  an  act  of 
prayer.  Blessed  be  that  goodness  and  grace  of 
God,  which  out  of  infinite  desire  to  glorify  and 
save  mankind,  would  make  the  very  works  of 
nature  capable  of  becoming  acts  of  virtue,  that 
all  our  lifetime  we  may  do  Him  service. 


CAREFUL  EMPLOYMENT  OF  TIME.      187 

"We  must  remember  that  we  have  a  great 
work  to  do,  many  enemies  to  conquer,  many 
evils  to  prevent,  much  clanger  to  run  through, 
many  difficulties  to  be  mastered,  many  necessi- 
ties to  serve,  and  much  good  to  do  ;  besides 
the  needs  of  nature  and  of  relation,  our  private 
and  our  public  cares,  and  duties  of  the  world, 
which  necessity  and  the  providence  of  God  have 
adopted  into  the  family  of  religion.  And  idle- 
ness is  the  greatest  prodigality  in  the  world ; 
it  throws  away  that  which  is  invaluable  in  re- 
spect of  its  present  nse,  and  irreparable  when  it 
is  past,  being  to  be  recovered  by  no  power  of 
art  or  nature.  Wherefore  let  every  man  that 
hath  a  calling  be  diligent  in  pursuance  of  its 
employment — and  let  all  the  intervals  or  void 
spaces  of  time  be  employed  in  prayers,  readings, 
meditating,  works  of  nature,  recreation,  charity, 
friendliness,  and  neighborhood.  Never  under- 
take any  trifling  employment  merely  to  pass 
the  time  away :  but  remember  that  the  time 
thou  triflest  away  was  given  thee  to  repent. in, 
to  pray  for  pardon  of  sins,  to  work  out  thy 
salvation,  to  do  the  work  of  grace,  to  lay  up 
against  the  day  of  judgment  a  treasure  of  good 
works  that  thy  time  may  be  crowned  with 
eternity. 

In  the  midst  of  the  works  of  thy  calling  often 
retire  to  God  in  short  prayers  and  ejaculations ; 
for  so  thou  reconcilest  the  outward  work  and 


188        FOrRTH  FRIDAY  IN  LENT. 

thy  inward  calling,  the  Church  and  the  com- 
monwealth, the  employment  of  the  body  and 
the  interest  of  thy  soul.  Set  apart  some  por- 
tions of  every  day  for  more  solemn  devotion 
and  religious  employment,  which  be  severe  in 
observing ;  and  when  the  clock  strikes,  or  how- 
ever else  you  shall  measure  the  day,  it  is  good 
to  say  a  short  ejaculation,  that  the  parts  and 
returns  of  devotion  may  be  the  measure  of  your 
time  :  and  also,  do  so  in  all  the  breaches  of  thy 
sleep,  that  those  spaces,  which  have  in  them  no 
direct  business  of  the  world,  may  be  filled  with 
religion. 

As  much  as  may  be,  cut  off  all  impertinent 
and  useless  employments  of  your  life,  unneces- 
sary visits,  long  waitings  upon  great  personages, 
where  neither  duty,  nor  necessity,  nor  charity 
obliges  us ;  all  vain  meetings,  all  laborious  trifles, 
and  whatsoever  spends  much  time  to  no  real, 
civil,  religious,  or  charitable  purpose. 

Let  not  your  recreations  be  lavish  spenders  of 
your  time  ;  but  choose  such  which  are  healthful, 
short,  transient,  recreative,  and  apt  to  refresh 
you;  but  at  no  hand  dwell  upon  them,  or  make 
them  your  great  employment :  for  he  that  spend- 
eth  his  time  in  sports,  and  calls  it  recreation,  is 
like  him  whose  garment  is  all  made  of  fringes, 
and  his  meat  nothing  but  sauces ;  they  are 
healthless,  chargeable,  and  useless. 

Lastly.     Do  not  the  work  of  God  negligently 


CAREFUL  EMPLOYMENT  OF  TIME.      189 

and  idly,  for  of  that  time  only  tlioii  mayest  be 
most  confident  that  it  is  gained,  which  is  pru- 
dently and  zealously  spent  in  God's  service.  The 
proud  and  the  covetous  are  to  expect  flames 
and  scorpions,  pains  and  smart ;  yet  the  lazy  and 
the  imperfect,  the  harmless  sleeper  and  the  idle 
worker,  shall  have  the  loss  of  all  his  hopes,  and 
the  dishonor  of  the  loss ;  and  in  the  sum  of 
afiairs,  it  will  be  no  great  difl'erence  whether  w^e 
have  loss  or  pain ;  because  there  can  be  no 
greater  pain  imaginable  than  to  lose  the  sight  of 
God  to  eternal  ages.  And,  indeed,  if  we  con- 
sider how  many  years  are  wholly  spent  before 
w^e  come  to  the  use  of  reason ;  how  many  years 
more,  before  that  reason  is  useful  to  us  to  any 
great  purposes  ;  how  imperfect  our  discourse  is 
made  by  our  evil  education,  false  principles,  ill 
company,  bad  examples,  and  want  of  experience ; 
that  little  portion  of  hours  that  is  left  for  the 
practices  of  piety  and  religious  walking  with 
God,  is  so  short  and  trifling,  that  were  not  the 
goodness  of  God  inflnitely  great  it  might  seem 
unreasonable  or  impossible  for  us  to  expect  of 
Him  eternal  joys  in  heaven,  even  after  the  well 
spending  of  those  few  minutes  which  are  left  for 
God  and  God's  service. 

And  w^hat  an  eternal  repentance  will  follow 
thee  if  thou  makest  not  use  of  the  occasion  of 
time,  for  the  purchasing  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven!   especially  when  thou   shalt  see   that 


190  FOrRTH  FEroAY  IN  LENT.      ' 

with  so  little  ado  tliou  miglitest  have  gained  that 
everlasting  glory,  which,  to  satisfy  a  short  pleas- 
ure, thou  hast  lost  forever. 


PRAYER. 

O  Eternal  God !  who  hast  created  me  to  do 
Thy  work,  and  to  serve  Thee  in  this  generation, 
give  me  grace  to  glorify  Thy  name  by  the  dis- 
charge of  all  my  duties ;  take  from  me  all  sloth- 
fulness,  grant  me  a  diligent  and  active  spirit, 
and  enable  me  so  to  improve  the  talent  intrusted 
to  me  by  thee,  that  at  the  coming  of  my  Lord, 
I  may  enter  into  His  joy  even  for  Thy  mercy's 
sake,  and  the  sake  of  my  Blessed  Redeemer. 
Amen. 


FOUETH  SATUEDAY  DT  LENT. 

FAITH. 
"  Without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  Him."    Heb,  xi.  6. 

If  we  consider  upon  what  easy  terms  most  of 
us  now  are  Christians,  we  may  possibly  suspect 
that  either  faith  hath  but  little  excellence  in  it, 
or  we  but  little  faith,  or  that  we  are  mistaken 
generally  in  its  definition.  For  we  are  born  of 
Christian  parents,  made  Christians  at  ten  days 
old;  from  thence  we  are  taught  to  say  our 
Catechism  as  we  are  taught  to  speak,  when  we 
have  no  reason  to  judge,  no  arguments  to  con- 
test against  a  proposition  in  case  we  be  cate- 
chised into  false  doctrine ;  and  all  that  is  put 
into  us  we  believe  without  choice,  as  children 
use  not  to  choose  their  language.  And  as  oui 
children  are  made  Christians,  just  so  are  thou- 
sands made  Mahometans  with  the  same  neces- 
sity, the  same  facility.  So  that  thus  far  there 
is  little  thanks  due  to  us  for  believing  the 
Christian  creed  ;  which  puts  us  evidently  upon 
this  consideration,  that  Christian  faith,  that 
glorious  duty  which  gives  to  Christians  a  great 
degree  of  approximation  to  God  by  Jesus  Christ, 


192  FOURTH   SATIJEDAY   IN   LENT. 

must  have  a  great  proportion  of  that  ingredieut 
which  makes  actions  good  or  bad,  that  is,  of 
choice  and  effect.  For  the  faith  of  a  Christian 
hath  more  in  it  of  the  will  than  of  the  under- 
standing. Men  believe  the  Eesurrection,  but  it 
is  because  they  are  taught  it  in  their  childhood, 
and  thej  inquire  no  further  in  their  age.  And 
we  find  they  commonly  live  at  such  a  rate  as  if 
they  did  neither  believe  nor  care  whether  it 
were  so  or  no.  Before  this  faith  can  enable 
them  to  resist  a  temptation,  they  must  derive  their 
assent  from  principles  of  another  nature.  They 
must  believe  the  doctrine,  because  it  is  said  to 
come  from  God ;  and  rely  upon  it,  because  it 
brings  to  God ;  trust  it,  because  it  is  good ;  ac- 
knowledge it  certain,  because  it  is  excellent; 
that  there  may  be  an  act  of  the  will  in  it  as  well 
as  of  the  understanding,  and  as  much  love  in  it 
as  discourse. 

And  for  others  who  can  inquire  better,  their 
inquiries  must  be  modest  and  humble  ;  they 
must  not  disbelieve  an  article  in  Christianity, 
which  is  not  proved  like  a  conclusion  in  geom- 
etry ;  they  must  not  be  witty  to  object,  and  cu- 
rious to  inquire  beyond  their  limit.  For  some 
are  so  ingeniously  miserable,  that  they  will  never 
believe  a  proposition  in  divinity  if  any  thing  can 
be  said  against  it ;  they  will  be  credulous  enough 
in  all  the  affairs  of  their  life,  but  impenetrable 
by  a  sermon  of  the  Gospel ;  they  will  believe  the 


FAITH.  193 

word  of  a  man  and  the  promise  of  their  neighbor, 
but  a  promise  of  Scripture  signifies  nothing,  un- 
less it  can  be  proved  like  a  proposition  in  the 
metaphysics.  If  Sempronius  tells  them  a  story, 
it  is  sufficient  if  he  be  a  just  man  and  the  narra- 
tive be  probable  ;  but  though  religion  be  taught 
by  many  excellent  men,  who  gave  their  lives 
for  a  testimony,  this  shall  not  pass  for  truth  till 
there  is  no  objection  left  to  stand  against  it.  The 
reason  of  these  things  is  plain  :  they  do  not  love 
the  thing  ;  their  interest  is  against  it ;  they  have 
no  joy  in  religion ;  they  are  not  willing  or  de- 
sirous that  the  things  shall  appear  true.  TVhen 
love  is  the  principle,  the  thing  is  easy  to  the  un- 
derstanding, the  objections  are  nothing,  the  ar- 
guments are  good,  and  the  preachers  are  in  the 
right. 

A  humble,  willing,  and  docile  mind,  and  the 
consideration  of  the  Divine  Omnipotence  and 
infinite  Wisdom,  and  our  own  ignorance,  are 
great  instruments  of  curing  all  doubting,  and 
silencing  the  murmurs  of  infidelity.  For  true 
faith  is  full  of  ingenuousness  and  hearty  sim- 
plicity, free  from  suspicion,  wise  and  confident. 
1^0  man  carries  his  bed  into  the  field  to  watch 
how  his  corn  grows,  but  believes  upon  the  gen- 
eral order  of  Providence  and  natm-e,  and  at  har- 
vest finds  himself  not  deceived. 

In  time  of  temptation,  therefore,  be  not  busy 
to  dispute,  but  throw  yourself  upon  God ;  nnd 


194:  FOtJETH   SATITEDAY  IN   LENT. 

contend  not  with  Him,  but  in  prayer,  which 
hath  a  particular  promise  in  this  thing  ;  and  be 
sure  to  esteem  all  changes  of  belief,  which  oifer 
themselves  in  the  time  of  your  greatest  weakness 
(contrary  to  the  persuasions  of  your  best  under- 
standing), to  be  temptations,  and  reject  them  ac- 
cordingly. 

Moreover,  the  faith  of  a  Christian  hath  in  it  a 
fulness  of  confidence  and  relying  upon  God,  a 
trusting  in,  and  a  real  expectation  of,  the  event 
of  all  the  promises  of  the  Gospel.  We  all  pro- 
fess that  God  is  Almighty,  that  all  His  promises 
are  certain,  and  yet,  when  it  comes  to  a  pinch, 
we  find  that  man  to  be  more  confident  that  hath 
ten  thousand  pounds  in  his  purse,  than  he  that 
reads  God's  promises  over  ten  thousand  times. 
"Men  of  a  common  spirit,"  saith  St.  Chrysos- 
tom,  "  of  an  ordinary  sanctity,  will  not  steal,  or 
kill,  or  lie,  or  commit  adultery ;  but  it  requires 
a  rare  faith,  and  a  sublimity  of  pious  afi'ections, 
to  believe  that  God  will  work  a  deliverance, 
which  to  me  seems  impossible." 

And  indeed  St.  Chrysostom  hit  upon  the 
right.  He  had  need  be  a  good  man,  and  love 
God  well  that  puts  his  trust  in  Him ;  for  those 
we  love  we  are  most  apt  to  trust.  So  that  if 
you  are  willing,  even  in  death,  to  confess  not 
only  the  articles,  but  in  affliction  and  death  to 
trust  the  promises ;  if,  in  the  lowest  nakedness 
of  poverty,  you  can  cherish  yourselves  with  the 


FAITH.  195 

expectation  of  God's  promises,  being  as  confident 
of  food  and  raiment,  and  deliverance  or  support, 
when  all  is  in  God's  hand,  as  you  are  when  it 
is  in  your  o"wti  ;  if  you  can  be  cheerful  in  a 
storm,  smile  when  the  world  frowns,  be  content 
in  the  midst  of  spiritual  desertions  and  anguish 
of  spirit,  expecting  all  should  work  together  for 
the  best,  according  to  the  promise ;  if  you  can 
strengthen  yourselves  in  God  when  you  are 
weakest,  believe  when  you  see  no  hope,  and  en- 
tertain no  jealousies  or  suspicions  of  God,  though 
you  see  nothing  to  make  you  confident — then, 
and  then  only  you  have  faith. 

Lastly.  Faith  in  the  threatenings  and  com- 
mandments of  God  must  be  the  actual  principle 
and  effective  of  a  good  life. 

Let  us  consider  the  power  and  efficacy  of 
worldly  belief.  If  a  man  believes  that  there  is 
gold  to  be  had  in  Peru  for  fetching,  or  pearls 
and  riches  in  India  for  the  exchange  of  trifles, 
he  instantly,  if  he  be  in  a  capacity,  leaves  the 
wife  of  his  bosom,  and  the  pretty  delights  of 
children  and  his  own  security,  and  ventures  into 
the  dangers  of  waters  and  unknown  seas,  thirst 
and  hunger,  pirates  and  shipwrecks ;  and  hath 
within  him  a  principle  strong  enough  to  answer 
all  objections,  because  he  believes  that  riches 
are  desirable,  and  by  such  means  likely  to  be 
had.  And  if  we  did  as  verily  believe  that  in 
Heaven  those  great  felicities,  which  transcend 


196       FOrRTH  SATTEDAY  IN  LENT. 

all  our  apprehensions,  are  certainly  to  be  ob- 
tained by  leaving  our  vices  and  lower  desires, 
what  can  hinder  us  but  we  should  at  least  do  as 
much  for  obtaining  those  great  felicities  as  for 
the  lesser  if  the  belief  were  equal  ?  For  if  any 
man  thinks  he  may  have  them  without  holiness, 
and  justice,  and  charity,  then  he  wants  faith. 
Who  can  pretend  to  be  a  Christian  and  yet  not 
believe  those  words  of  St.  Paul,  "  Follow  after 
peace  with  all  men,  and  holiness,  without  which 
no  man  shall  see  God  ?"  And  yet  if  we  do  be- 
lieve it,  what  do  we  think  will  become  of  us, 
who  neither  "  follow  peace  nor  holiness,"  but 
follow  our  anger  and  pursue  our  lust?  Our 
Blessed  Saviour  told  us,  that  "  With  what  meas- 
ures we  mete  to  others,  it  shall  be  measured  to 
us  again  ;"  but  who  almost  believes  this  and  con- 
siders what  it  means  ?  Will  you  be  content 
that  God  should  despise  you  as  you  despise  your 
brother  ?  that  He  should  be  as  soon  angry  with 
you  as  you  are  with  him?  that  He  should  strike 
you  as  hastily,  and  as  seldom  pardon  you,  and 
never  bear  with  your  infirmities,  and  as  seldom 
interpret  fairly  what  you  say  or  do,  and  be  re- 
venged as  frequently  as  you  would  be?  And 
what  think  we  of  these  sayings :  "  Into  the 
heavenly  Jerusalem  there  shall  in  nowise  enter 
any  thing  that  defileth  or  profaneth ;  neither 
whatsoever  worketh  abomination  or  maketh  a 
lie."    Do  men  believe  God,  and  yet,  doing  these 


I 


FAITH.  197 

tilings,  hope  to  be  saved  for  all  these  terrible 
sayings  ? 

Let  us  remember  that  he  only  by  his  faith 
can  be  saved,  who,  by  his  faith,  lives  a  life  of 
grace,  whose  faith  is  to  him  a  magazine  of  holy 
principles,  whose  faith  endears  obedience,  and 
is  the  nurse  of  a  holy  hope  and  the  mother  of  a 
never-failing  charity.  He  shall  be  saved  by  his 
faith,  who  by  his  faith  is  more  than  conqueror, 
who  resists  the  devil  and  makes  him  fly,  and 
gives  laws  to  his  passions,  and  makes  them  obe- 
dient; who,  by  his  faith,  overcomes  the  world 
and  removes  mountains — the  mountains  of  pride 
and  vanity,  ambition  and  secular  designs;  he, 
whose  faith  opens  the  blind  man's  eyes,  and 
makes  him  to  see  the  things  of  God ;  and  cures 
the  lame  hypocrite  and  makes  him  to  walk  up- 
rightly. "For  these  signs  shall  follow  them 
that  believe,"  said  our  blessed  Saviour ;  and  by 
these,  as  by  the  wedding  garment,  we  are  fitted 
for  the  heavenly  Supper  of  the  King. 


PEAYEE. 

O  Lord  God  of  infinite  mercy,  who  hast  sent 

Tliy  Holy  Son  into  the  world  to  redeem  us  from 

intolerable  misery ;  let  my  faith,  I  beseech  Thee, 

be  the  parent  of  a  good  life,  a  strong  shield  to 

repel  the  'fiery  darts  of  the  devil ;  and  grant  that 
17» 


198       FOURTH  SATURDAY  IN   LENT. 

1  may  be  supported  by  its  strength  in  all  temp- 
tations, and  refreshed  by  its  comforts  in  all  my 
sorrows,  till  from  the  imperfections  of  this  life 
it  may  arrive  to  the  consummation  of  an  eternal 
and  never-ceasing  love,  through  Jesus  Christ, 
the  Author  and  Finisher  of  our  faith,  to  whom 
with  Thee,  O  Lord  God,  Father  of  heaven  and 
earth,  and  with  Thy  Holy  Spirit  be  all  glory, 
and  love,  and  obedience,  and  dominion,  now  and 
forever.     Amen. 


FOURTH  SUKDAY  m  LENT. 

THE  THIRD  TEMPTATION. 

"  Again,  the  devil  taketh  Him  up  into  an  exceeding  high  moan- 
tain,  and  Bheweth  Him  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world,  and 
the  glory  of  them ;  and  saith  unto  Him,  All  these  things 
will  I  give  Thee,  if  Thou  wilt  fall  down  and  worship  me." 
Matthew  iv.  8,  9. 

By  this  time  the  devil  began  to  perceive  that 
Jesus  was  the  Son  of  God,  and  designed  to  be 
the  King  of  all  the  world;  and  therefore  re- 
solved, for  the  last  assault,  to  proffer  Him  the 
kingdoms  of  the  world ;  thinking  ambition  more 
likely  to  ruin  Him  because  he  knew  it  was  that 
which  prevailed  upon  himself,  and  all  those 
fallen  stars,  the  angels  of  darkness.  That  the 
devil  told  a  lie  is  most  likely,  when  he  said  he 
had  power  to  dispose  the  kingdoms  of  the  world ; 
for,  by  proper  inherent  right,  God  alone  disposes 
all  governments ;  but  it  is  also  certain  that  the 
devil  is  capable  of  a  delegate  employment,  in 
some  great  mutation  of  states ;  and  many  proba- 
bilities have  been  observed  by  wise  personages, 
persuading  that  the  grandeur  of  the  Roman  Em- 
pire was  permitted  to  the  power  and  managing 
of  the  devil ;  in  order  that  the  greatness  of  that 


200  FOIJETH   SUNDAY   IN   LENT. 

government,  being  in  all  appearance  full  of 
advantage  to  Satan's  kingdom,  and  employed 
for  the  disimprovement  of  the  weak  beginnings 
of  Christianity,  might  give  demonstration  that 
Christianity  came  from  God ;  since  the  great 
permissions  of  power  made  to  the  devil,  and 
acted  with  all  art  and  malice  in  defiance  of  the 
religion,  could  produce  no  other  effect  upon  it 
but  that  it  made  it  grow  greater. 

The  Lamb  of  God  that  heard  Satan  with 
patience  tempt  Him  to  do  Himself  a  mischief 
and  to  throw  Himself  headlong,  could  by  no 
means  endure  it  when  he  tempted  to  a  direct 
dishonoring  of  God.  Our  own  injuries  are 
opportunities  of  patience ;  but  when  the  glory 
of  God  and  His  immediate  honor  is  the  ques- 
tion, then  is  the  occasion  and  precise  minute  for 
the  flames  of  a  clear,  shining,  and  unconsuming 
zeal.  But  the  care  of  God's  glory  had  so  filled 
and  employed  all  the  faculties  of  Jesus,  that  he 
took  no  notice  of  the  offer ;  and  it  were  well 
also  that  we  had  fewer  opinions  of  the  lustre  of 
worldly  dignities,  or  at  least  that  we,  in  imita- 
tion of  our  blessed  Master,  should  refuse  to  ac- 
cept all  the  world,  when  it  is  to  be  bought  of 
the  devil,  at  the  expense  of  a  deadly  sin.  For 
that  government  cannot  be  very  honorable 
that  makes  us  slaves  to  the  worst  of  tyrants ; 
and  all  those  who,  by  injury  and  usurpation, 
possess  and  invade  others'  rights,  would  do  well 


THE   THIRD   TEMPTATION.  201 

to  consider  that  a  kingdom  is  too  dearly  paid 
for,  if  the  condition  be  first  to  worship  the  devil. 
When  the  devil  could  do  no  good,  he  departed 
for  a  season.  If  he  could  ever  have  spied  a  time 
of  returning,  he  wanted  not  will  nor  malice  to 
observe  and  to  use  it ;  and  although  Jesus  was  a 
person  without  danger,  yet  I  doubt  not  but  the 
Holy  Ghost  described  that  circumstance  that 
we  should  not  have  the  securities  of  a  deep 
peace,  when  we  have  had  the  success  of  con- 
querors. For  a  surprise  is  most  full  of  horror, 
and  of  more  certain  ruin ;  so  that  we  have  no 
security  but  a  perpetual  observation.  That, 
together  with  the  grace  of  God  (who  takes  care 
of  all  His  servants,  and  will  drive  away  the 
tempter  when  He  pleases,  and  help  us  always 
when  we  need),  is  as  great  an  argument  for  our 
confidence,  and  encouragement  to  our  prayers 
and  address  to  God,  as  it  is  safety  to  our  person 
and  honor  to  our  victory.  And  let  us  account 
it  our  honor,  that  the  trials  of  temptation,  which 
is  the  greatest  sadness  of  our  condition,  are 
hallowed  by  the  temptation  of  Jesus,  and  our 
condition  assured  by  His  assistances,  and  the 
assistances  procured  by  our  prayers  most  easily, 
upon  the  advantage  of  His  sufferings  and  com- 
passion. And  we  may  observe,  that  poverty, 
predestination,  and  ambition  are  the  three  quiv- 
ers from  which  the  devil  drew  his  arrows,  which 
(as  the  most  likely  to  prevail)  he  shot  against 


202  FOUETH   SUNDAY   IN   LENT. 

Christ.  But  now  he  shot  in  vain,  and  gave 
proof  that  he  might  be  overcome.  Our  Captain 
hath  conquered  for  Himself  and  us. 


PRATER. 

O  Almighty  God,  Father  and  Lord  of  all  the 
creatures,  who  hast  disposed  all  things  as  may 
best  glorify  Thy  wisdom,  teach  me  humbly  to 
submit  to  Thy  Providence,  and  to  be  content  in 
all  changes  of  person  and  condition.  Grant  me 
to  be  temperate  in  prosperity,  and  meek  and 
patient  in  adversity;  let  me  have  no  fondness 
for  the  vanities  and  possessions  of  this  world, 
but  may  I  lay  up  my  hopes  in  heaven,  and  the 
consolations  of  the  day  of  redemption,  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.     Amen. 


i 


rOUETH  MONDAY  IN  LENT. 

HUMILITY. 

"  Let  this  miud  be  in  you,  which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus." 
Philippians  ii.  5. 

God  descended  from  heaven  to  earth,  from 
riches  to  poverty,  from  essential  innocence  to 
the  disreputation  of  a  sinner,  from  a  master  to  a 
servant,  to  learn  ns  that  we  should  esteem  our- 
selves but  just  as  we  are, — ^low,  sinful,  miserable, 
needy,  and  unworthy.  And  to  this  purpose  St. 
Bernard  hath  an  affectionate  and  devout  con- 
sideration, saying,  "  That  some  of  the  angels  as 
soon  as  they  were  created,  had  an  ambition  to 
become  like  God,  and  to  aspire  into  the  throne 
which  God  had  appointed  to  the  Holy  Jesus  in 
eternal  ages.  When  God  created  man,  pres- 
ently the  devil  rubbed  his  leprosy  upon  him, 
and  he  wuuld  needs  be  like  God  too,  and  Satan 
promised  him  that  he  should.  But  man  had  the 
fate  of  Gehazi,  he  would  needs  have  the  talents 
and  garments  of  Lucifer,  and  he  had  also  his 
plague — he  lost  paradise  for  his  pride."  And 
now,  what  might  befit  the  Son  of  God  to  do, 


204  FOURTH  MONDAY   IN   LENT. 

seeing  man  so  lost,  and  God  so  jealous  of  His 
honor?  I  see  (saith  He)  that  bj  occasion  of 
Me,  the  Father  loses  His  creatures,  for  they 
have  all  aspired  to  be  like  Me,  and  are  fallen 
into  the  greatest  infelicities ;  behold,  I  will  go 
towards  man  in  such  a  form,  that  whosoever 
from  henceforth  would  become  like  Me,  shall 
be  so,  and  be  a  gainer  by  it.  And  for  this  cause 
the  Son  of  God  came  from  heaven,  and  made 
Himself  a  poor  humble  person,  and  by  all  the 
actions  of  His  life  commented  upon  the  present 
discourse :  "  Learn  of  Me,  for  I  am  meek  and 
humble  of  heart." 

Blessed  be  that  mercy  and  bounty  which 
moved  Almighty  God  to  condescend  to  that  so 
great  appetite  we  had  of  being  like  Him ;  for 
now  we  may  be  like  unto  God  ;  but  it  must  be 
by  humility,  of  which  He  hath  given  us  an  ex- 
ample powerful  as  miracles,  and  great  as  our 
own  pride  and  misery. 

This  act  consists  not  in  declamations  and  forms 
of  satire  against  ourselves,  saying,  I  am  a  mis- 
erable sinful  creature ;  I  am  proud,  or  covetous, 
or  ignorant ;  for  many  men  say  so,  who  are  not 
willing  to  be  thought  so.  E'either  is  humility  a 
virtue  made  up  of  wearing  old  clothes,  or  doing 
mean  or  servile  employments  by  voluntary  un- 
dertaking, or  of  sullen  gestures,  or  artifices  of 
lowly  expressions ;  for  these  may  become  snares 
to  invite  and  catch  at  honor.     But  it  consists  in 


HUMILITY.  205 

a  true  undei-stauding  of  our  own  condition  and 
a  separating  our  own  nothing  from  the  good  we 
have  received,  and  giving  to  God  all  the  glorj, 
and  taking  to  ourselves  all  the  shame  and  dis- 
honor due  to  our  sinful  .condition.  Humility  is 
of  greater  difficulty  in  persons  pious,  full  of  gifts, 
and  eminent  in  graces,  who  being  fellow-workers 
together  with  God,  sometimes  grow  tacitly  and 
without  notice  given  to  coniide  in  themselves ; 
and  ascribe  too  much  of  the  good  action  to  their 
own  choice  and  diligence ;  and  take  np  their 
crowns,  which  lie  at  the  foot  of  the  throne,  and  set 
them  upon  their  own  heads.  For  a  sinner  to  de- 
sire to  be  esteemed  a  sinner,  is  no  more  humility 
than  it  is  for  the  son  of  a  ploughman  to  confess 
his  father :  but  indeed  it  is  hard  for  a  man  to  be 
cried  up  for  a  saint,  to  walk  upon  the  spire  of 
glory,  and  to  have  no  adherence  or  impure  mix- 
tures of  vanity  grow  upon  the  outside  of  his 
heart.  But  the  true  stating  our  own  question, 
and  knowing  ourselves,  must  needs  represent  us 
set  in  the  midst  of  infinite  imperfections,  laden 
with  sins,  fond  of  trifles,  full  of  ingratitude,  and 
all  such  things,  which  in  every  man  else  we  look 
upon  as  scars  and  deformities ;  and  if  we  would 
esteem  them  with  the  same  severity  in  ourselves, 
it  would  make  ns  charitable  in  our  censures, 
compassionate  and  gentle  to  others,  and,  in  all 
accidents  and  chances  to  ourselves,  to  be  content 
and  thankful,  as  knowing  the  worst  of  poverty 
18 


206  FOURTH   MONDAY   IN   LENT. 

and  inconvenience  to  be  a  mercy,  and  a  splendid 
fortune,  in  respect  of  our  demerits. 

I  have  read,  that  when  the  Duke  of  Candia 
had  voluntarily  entered  into  the  incommodities 
of  a  religious  poverty  and  retirement,  he  was 
one  day  spied,  and  pitied  by  a  lord  of  Italy,  who 
out  of  tenderness  wished  him  to  be  more  careful 
and  nutritive  of  his  person.  The  good  duke  an- 
swered :  "  Sir,  be  not  troubled,  and  think  not 
that  I  am  ill  provided  of  conveniences;  for  I 
send  a  harbinger  before,  who  makes  my  lodg- 
ings ready,  and  takes  care  I  am  royally  enter- 
tained." The  lord  asked  him,  who  was  his 
harbinger.  He  answered :  "  The  knowledge  of 
myself,  and  the  consideration  of  what  I  deserve 
for  my  sins,  which  is  eternal  torments;  and 
when,  with  this  knowledge,  I  arrive  at  my  lodg- 
ing, how  unprovided  soever  I  find  it,  methinks 
it  is  ever  better  than  I  deserve."  In  order 
to  considering  and  reducing  to  practice  these 
thoughts,  we  should  let  no  day  pass  without  some 
sad  recollection  of  somewhat  which  may  put  us 
to  confusion,  and  mean  opinion  of  ourselves ; 
we  should  make  confessions  of  our  sins  often  to 
God,  and  consider  what  all  that  evil  amounts  to, 
w^hich  we  thus  charge  on  ourselves.  Look  not 
upon  thy  sins  as  scattered  in  the  course  of  a  long 
life;  now  an  intemperate  anger,  then  too  full 
a  meal;  now  idle  talking,  and  another  time, 
impatience;  but  unite  them  into  one  continued 


HUMILITY.  207 

representation,  and  remember  that  he,  whose 
life  seems  fair,  bj  reason  that  his  faults  are  scat- 
tered at  large  distances  in  the  several  parts  of 
his  life,  yet,  if  all  his  errors  and  follies  were  arti- 
cled against  him,  the  man  would  seem  vicious 
and  miserable. 

Learn  also  to  bear  contumelies  evenly  and 
sweetly ;  for  "  Christ's  humble  man  desires  not  to 
be  honored  by  others."  And  he,  who  with  some 
regret  and  impatience  hears  himself  scorned  or 
undervalued,  hath  not  acquired  the  grace  of  hu- 
mility ;  which  Serapion,  in  Cassian,  noted  to  a 
young  person,  who  perpetually  accused  himself 
with  the  greatest  semblance  of  humility,  but 
was  impatient  when  Serapion  reproved  him : 
"  Did  you  hope  that  I  would  have  praised  your 
humility,  and  have  reputed  you  for  a  saint  ?  It 
is  a  strange  perverseness  to  desire  others  to  es- 
teem highly  of  you  for  that  in  w^hich  to  yourself 
you  seem  most  unworthy." 

Again :  Christ's  humble  man  is  not  greedy  of 
praise.  When  it  is  presented  to  him,  he  takes 
no  pleasure  in  it ;  and  if  it  be  easy  to  want 
praise  when  it  is  denied,  yet  it  is  harder  to  be 
delighted  with  it  w^hen  it  is  offered. 

"  But  as  silver  is  tried  in  the  melter,  and  gold 
in  the  crucible,  so  is  a  man  tried  by  the  mouth 
of  him  that  praises  him ;"  that  is,  he  is  either 
clarified  from  his  dross,  by  looking  on  the  praise 
as  a  homily  to  teach,  and  an  instrument  to  invite 


208  rOUETH   MONDAY   IN   LENT. 

liis  duty ;  or  else,  if  he  be  already  pure,  lie  is 
strengthened  in  the  sobriety  of  his  spirit,  and  re- 
tires himself  closer  into  the  strengths  and  securi- 
ties of  humility. 

"  Christ's  humble  man  is  careful  likewise  never 
to  speak  any  thing  that  may  redound  to  his  own 
praise,"  unless  it  be  with  a  design  of  charity  or 
duty.  A  good  name  may  give  us  an  oppor- 
tunity of  persuading  others  to  their  duty ;  but 
although  it  is  lawful  to  desire  it  in  order  to  suit 
good  ends,  whither  it  may  serve,  yet  a  great 
name,  and  a  pompous  honor,  and  secular  great- 
ness, hath  more  danger  in  it  to  ourselves,  than 
commonly  it  can  have  of  benefit  to  others,  and 
ordinary  persons  may  not  safely  desire  it :  To 
which  I  add  this  consideration,  that  the  con- 
tempt of  honor,  and  the  instant  pursuit  of 
humility,  is  more  effective  of  the  ghostly  benefit 
of  others,  than  honors  and  great  dignities  can  be, 
unless  it  be  rarely  and  very  accidentally. 

Xever  therefore  be  ashamed  of  thy  birth,  or 
thy  parents,  or  thy  trade,  or  thy  present  em- 
ployment, for  the  meanness  or  poverty  of  any  of 
them,  and  when  there  is  an  occasion  to  speak  of 
them ;  such  an  occasion  as  would  invite  you  to 
speak  of  any  thing  that  pleases  you,  omit  it  not, 
but  speak  as  readily  and  indifferently  of  thy 
meanness  as  of  thy  greatness. 

[N'either,  w^hen  thou  art  disgraced  or  slighted, 
please  thyself  with  supposing  thou  didst  deserve 


HUMILITY.  209 

praise,  though  they  understood  thee  not :  and 
think  not  the  advancement  of  thy  brother  a  les- 
sening of  thy  worth,  but  entertain  their  good 
and  glory  with  delight,  and  at  no  hand  dis- 
parage them,  or  lessen  the  report. 

A  humble  man  thinks  himself,  in  some  sense 
or  other,  the  worst  in  every  company,  where  he 
comes ;  one  is  more  learned,  another  is  more 
prudent,  a  third  more  honorable,  or  more  char- 
itable, or  less  proud.  He  observes  their  good, 
and  reflects  only  upon  his  own  vileness  ;  he  con- 
sider^,  that  the  evils  done  by  others  are  out  of 
much  infirmity  or  ignorance,  but  his  own  sins 
are  against  a  clearer  light:  or  he  remembers, 
that  his  old  sins  before  his  conversion  were 
greater  in  the  nature  of  the  thing,  or  in  certain 
circumstances,  than  the  sins  of  other  men.  So 
St.  Paul  reckoned  himself  the  chiefest  of  sinners 
because  formerly  he  had  acted  the  chiefest  sin  of 
persecuting  the  Church  of  God. 

And  if  we  need  any  incentives  to  the  practice 
of  this  grace,  I  can  say  no  more,  but  that  humili- 
ty is  truth,  and  pride  is  a  lie ;  that  the  one  glori- 
fies God,  the  other  dishonors  Him;  humility 
makes  men  like  angels,  pride  makes  angels  to 
become  devils ;  that  humility  is  the  way  to  glory, 
pride  to  ruin  and  confusion ;  humility  makes 
saints  on  earth,  pride  undoes  them  ;  humility 
beatifies  the  saints  in  heaven,  and  "the  elders 
throw  theij-  crowns  at  the  foot  of  the  throne ;" 
18« 


210  FOURTH   MONDAY   IN   LENT. 

pride  disgraces  a  man  among  all  the  societies  of 
earth.  God  loves  one,  and  Satan  solicits  the 
cause  of  the  other,  and  there  is  no  one  grace  in 
which  Christ  propounded  Himself  imitable  so 
signally  as  in  this  of  meekness  and  humility ; 
for  the  enforcing  of  which  He  undertook  the 
condition  of  a  servant,  and  a  life  of  poverty  and 
a  death  of  disgrace,  and  washed  the  feet  of  His 
disciples,  and  even  of  Judas  himself,  that  His 
action  might  be  turned  into  a  sermon  to  preach 
this  duty,  and  to  make  it  as  eternal  as  His  own 
story. 

PEAYEK. 

O  Holy  and  most  Gracious  Saviour,  who  by 
Thy  example  and  Thy  precept  didst  command 
us  to  be  meek  and  humble  in  imitation  of 
Thy  great  humility,  be  pleased  to  give  me  the 
grace  as  Thou  hast  given  me  the  command- 
ment. Mortify  in  me  all  proud  thoughts  and 
vain  opinions  of  myself.  Let  me  not  boast 
myself  for  what  I  have  received  ;  and  for  what 
is  my  own,  teach  me  to  be  ashamed  and  hum- 
bled. Let  me  go  before  my  brethren  in  no- 
thing but  striving  to  do  them  honor,  and  Thee 
glory ;  never  seeking  my  own  praise  ;  never 
delighting  in  it  when  it  is  offered ;  that,  de- 
pisiug  myself,  I  may  be  accepted  by  thee,  in 


HUMILITY.  211 

the  honors  with  which  Thou  shalt  crown  Tliy 
humble  and  despised  servants,  in  the  kingdom 
of  eternal  glory.  Grant  this  for  Thy  mercy 
and  Thy  merit's  sake,  O  Holy  and  Blessed  Sav- 
iour.   Amen. 


FOUETH  TUESDAY  IN  LENT. 

CHRISTIAN  COMFORT. 

**  That  in  the  ages  to  come  He  might  show  the  exceeding  riches 
of  His  grace  in  His  kindness  towards  us  through  Christ  Je- 
sus."    Ephesians  ii.  7. 

The  first  time  that  the  word  comfort  is  found 
in  Scripture,  is  upon  the  birth  of  Noah;  his 
father  says,  This  son  shall  comfort  us.  So,  when 
God  did  give  Christ  to  be  made  man.  He  did, 
as  it  were,  say  unto  us,  "  This  Son  shall  comfort 
you,  for  His  name  is  Jesus,  and  He  shall  save 
His  people  from  their  sins."  He  that  gave  us 
Him,  hath  given  us  all  things  with  Him ;  and 
even  now  "  We  are  sealed  with  the  Holy  Spirit 
of  promise,  which  is  the  earnest  of  our  inherit- 
ance ;"  as  the  blossoms  of  the  spring  do  not  only 
promise,  but  are  God's  earnest  to  represent  the 
fruits  which  will  wax  ripe  in  autumn. 

For  when  our  Saviour  left  the  world,  and  as- 
cended into  heaven — for  many  reasons ;  one  was 
"  to  give  gifts  unto  men,"  which  gifts,  though 
very  many,  are  all  united  in  their  fountain — 
the  Holy  Ghost.  Of  which  legacy,  Christ  gave 
warning  before  His  death.     ^'I  will  pray  the 


CHRISTIAN   COMFORT.  213 

Father,  and  He  shall  give  you  another  com- 
forter, that  He  may  abide  with  you  forever. 
Tliis  Comforter,  the  Everlasting  Spirit — to  speak 
after  the  phrase  of  man — is  the  proxy  of  Christ; 
His  representative  in  our  hearts.  And  so  it 
was  fulfilled;  for  when  the  Spirit  descended  in 
great  abundance  upon  the  church,  St.  Peter 
says,  "This  is  that  which  is  come  to  pass." 
"Tliou  hast  made  known  to  me  the  ways  of 
life ;  Thou  shalt  make  me  full  of  joy  with  Tliy 
countenance."  And  for  the  evidence  of  it,  it  is 
said,  "Tlie  churches  were  edified,  walking  in 
the  fear  of  God,  and  in  the  comfort  of  the  Holy 
Ghost."  Which  text  begets  this  note,  that 
Christian  solace  consists  in  two  things,  vrliich 
we  may  call  the  root  and  the  fruit.  The  root  is 
the  Holy  Ghost  taking  up  His  tabeniacle  in  us ; 
so  that  "  our  body  is  the  Temple  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  which  is  in  us :"  and  to  walk  by  it,  in 
the  fear  of  God,  is  the  fruit  of  sanctification  in 
all  manner  of  obedience. 

Here  I  shall  find  work  to  heal  the  broken 
in  heart,  who  look  upon  the  fniits  of  their  lives 
with  no  content  in  themselves,  but  are  un- 
solaced,  and  cast  down,  because  neither  in  num- 
ber nor  in  weight  have  they  brought  in  that 
which  the  Lord  required.  They  look  on  their 
ways,  and  they  find  them  crooked:  they  look 
on  their  heart,  and  they  find  it  is  not  constant 
to  good  purposes.     To  whom  I  rejoin:  if  this 


214        FOURTH  TUESDAY  IN  LENT. 

proceed  from  penitence,  from  quick  sense  of 
sin,  from  humility,  which  is  opposite  to  a  self- 
justifying,  they  have  cause  to  praise  God  that 
they  are  thus  affected.  Let  them  look  narrowly 
if  this  gold  (for  it  may  prove  no  worse)  be  cur- 
rent, when  it  is  brought  to  the  touchstone ;  then 
they  may  lift  up  their  eyes,  and  look  cheerfully 
towards  Christ ;  for  it  is  no  flattery  to  say,  they 
are  under  His  grace  and  mercy.  Deal  clearly, 
that  you  are  astonished  at  your  frailties,  because 
you  think  you  can  never  work  enough,  never 
shun  sin  enough ;  and  though  your  conscience 
condemn  you,  God  will  afford  you  equity  against 
the  rigor  of  conscience :  for  He  that  searcheth 
the  heart,  "knoweth  what  is  the  mind  of  the 
Spirit."  We  are  conceived  in  sin,  and  it  is  so 
intimate  unto  us,  that  we  have  no  promise  to  be 
so  spiritualized  in  this  life,  that  we  shall  not 
often  trespass.  "  God  hath  included  all  in  sin, 
all  in  unbelief,  that  He  might  have  mercy  upon 
all."  But  it  is  one  thing  to  fall  into  sin,  another 
thing  to  run  into  it — one  thing  to  be  carried 
away  by  the  passions  of  it,  another  to  covet, 
another  thing  to  abide  in  it  without  repentance. 
And  great  odds  between  those  that  are  given 
over  to  please  themselves  in  filthiness,  and  be- 
tween them  that  labor  and  desire  to  please  God, 
though  many  times  they  attain  not  to  perfect 
that  willingness. 

"Do  you  often   accuse  yourself  of  a  weak 


CHRISTIAN   COMFORT.  215 

faith  in  secret  unto  God?"  I  like  it  for  a 
good  symptom ;  for  a  hypocrite  doth  not  use  to 
accuse  himself.  "And  do  you  bewail  your 
want  to  the  Lord,  because  you  would  have  it 
better  supplied  ?"  that  is  a  good  sign  too,  for  it 
is  the  same  as  to  thirst  for  the  living  God. 
Remember,  and  be  assured,  that  you  could  not 
miss  Christ  so  much,  unless  Christ  were  in  you. 
Because  God  loves  you.  He  seems  to  leave  you, 
and  withdraws  out  of  the  way  for  a  time,  be- 
cause He  would  be  found ;  and  makes  you  de- 
sire to  seek  him,  that  you  may  liold  Him  the 
surer  to  you  when  you  enjoy  Him.  Do  you 
look  dejectedly  upon  your  faith,  because  you 
apprehend  it  is  not  full  of  life  in  the  root,  nor 
laden  with  fruit  in  godly  practice  ?  Woe  be  to 
them  that  are  not  sensible  of  those  infirmities. 
It  is  one  of  the  best  lessons  in  the  l^ew  Testa- 
ment, ''  Be  strong  in  the  grace  that  is  in  Christ 
Jesus,"  but  it  is  one  of  the  hardest.  God  gives 
a  measure  of  faith  to  all  in  the  covenant  that 
call  upon  him ;  but  we  have  this  gift  in  earthen 
vessels,  and  taint  it  with  the  aifections  of  our 
carnal  mind.  The  best  faith  is  weak  and  waver- 
ing, short-sighted,  riseth  and  falleth  like  a  tune 
in  music ;  therefore  to  encourage  a  j)eri:)lexed 
mind,  hearken  to  Isaiah :  "  Say  to  them  that  are 
of  a  sorrowful  heart,  Be  strong,  fear  not."  For 
though  it  be  but  an  infant  faith,  it  is  a  true 
faith ;  as  an  infant  is  a  true  man  in  the  essence 


216        rOUETH  TUESDAY  IN  LENT. 

of  a  man,  though  not  a  man  in  growth ;  perfect 
in  the  real  being,  though  not  in  the  degrees 
wherein  we  must  strive  to  grow  up  more  and 
more.  Will  the  righteous  God  require  more  of 
a  sick  and  feeble  servant  than  his  best  endea- 
vors ?  Will  not  Christ  accept  from  us  the  same 
that  he  did  from  Mary  that  broke  the  box  of 
ointment  over  his  head :  ''  She  hath  done  what 
she  could?"  Let  a  contrite  heart,  that  would 
fain  be  righteous,  remember  the  prayer  of  Ne- 
hemiah :  "  Let  thine  ear  be  attentive  to  the 
prayer  of  thy  servants,  who  desire  to  fear  thy 
name ;"  or  the  protestation  of  St.  Paul :  "  We 
trust  we  have  a  good  conscience,  in  all  things 
willing  to  live  honestly."  "  Well,"  says  a  for- 
lorn sinner,  "  my  sins  may  not  be  out  of  possi- 
bility of  mercy ;  but  it  is  almost  as  bad  that 
they  are  in  an  unlikehood  to  mercy,  for  they 
are  very  heinous."  As  unto  that  confession  that 
your  trespasses  are  very  heinous,  conceive  so  of 
them  and  spare  not :  true  repentance  thinks  no 
sin  to  be  a  little  one.  But  be  it  so  really ;  yet 
Aaron  was  not  free  from  idolatry — nor  David 
from  adultery — nor  Peter  from  abjuration  of 
Christ — nor  Paul  from  persecuting  the  Church 
— nor  Mary  Magdalen  from  indefinite  scandal, 
who  yet  all  obtained  mercy;  for  a  pattern  to 
them,  who  hereafter  should  believe  in  Christ  to 
everlasting  life.  They  were  called  l^ovatians 
who  blotted  out  the  beginning  of  the  eighth 


CHRISTIAN-   COMFORT.  217 

chapter  of  St.  John's  gospel,  because  the  storj 
tells  us,  that  Christ  dismissed  the  woman  taken 
in  adultery  with  a  gracious  gentleness.  Why 
should  not  His  procedure  in  judgment  be  like 
His  doctrine  ? 

It  is  easy  to  get  the  favor  of  a  gracious  and  a 
gentle  nature  among  the  sons  and  daughters  of 
men  ;  and  the  most  generous  are  the  most  recon- 
cilable. Then  what  possibility,  nay,  what  readi- 
ness may  we  find  to  be  reconciled  to  God, 
"  merciful,  gracious,  long-suffering,  abundant  in 
goodness  and  truth  ?" 

The  means  which  the  Father  hath  appointed 
are  excellent,  into  which  "  the  angels  desire  to 
look" — to  give  us  redemption  and  forgiveness 
of  sins  through  the  blood  of  Christ,  according 
to  the  riches  of  His  grace.  We  have  trespassed 
against  our  God,  but  there  is  hope  concerning 
this  thing.  "Forgiveness  of  sins"  is  put  into 
our  creed.  He  that  doth  not  believe  it,  hath  no 
creed  nor  Christianity  in  him.  And  so,  also,  it 
is  put  into  our  prayer.  And  He  that  taught  us 
to  pray,  "  Forgive  us  our  sins,"  hath  taught  us 
this  comfort,  that  sins  are  pardonable. 

"  Be  merciful  unto  my  sin,  for  it  is  great," 
says  David.  This  is  not  the  way  to  deal  with 
mortal  judges  when  we  stand  at  their  bar ;  but 
this  is  the  way  to  obtain  propitiation  from  our 
God :  "  Heal  me,  for  I  am  sore  wounded ;  cure 
me,  for  I  am  very  sick ;  be  merciful  to  my  sin, 
19 


218        FOUETH  TUESDAY  IN  LENT. 

for  it  is  very  great."  In  the  immense  value  of 
the  price  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  there  is  re- 
demption for  every  sinner  that  repents  and  be- 
lieves. 

Oh,  lose  not  a  syllable  of  such  comfort  in  this 
discomfortable  world!  E"o  sins  can  supera- 
bound  His  grace,  if  we  do  not  sin  presumptu- 
ously,— because  grace  abounds. 


PRAYER. 

O  Lord,  my  Saviour,  whose  mercy  is  infinite, 
and  whose  wrath  endureth  bnt  the  twinkling  of 
an  eye,  pity  my  infirmities,  and  keep  my  life 
from  them  that  go  down  into  hell;  and  when 
my  soul  is  vexed  with  sadness,  turn  my  heavi- 
ness into  joy,  by  teaching  me  to  rejoice  in  Thee, 
who  art  become  our  mighty  Saviour,  and  most 
merciful  Redeemer,  Jesus  Christ.     Amen. 


FIFTH  WEDNESDAY  IN  LENT. 

CHRISTIAN  JOY. 

"Eejoice  in  the  Lord  alway ;  and  again  I  say,  Eejoice." 
Fhilippians  iv.  4. 

The  Gospel  is  called  "  Spirit,"  because  it  con- 
sists of  spiritual  promises  and  spiritual  precepts, 
and  makes  all  men  tliat  embrace  it  truly,  to  be 
spiritual  men ;  and  therefore  St.  Paul  adds  an 
epithet  beyond  this,  calling  it  "  a  quickening 
Spirit;"  that  is,  it  puts  life  into  spirits,  which 
the  law  could  not.  "Ye  are  not  in  the  flesh 
but  in  the  Spirit,  if  so  be  that  the  Spirit  of  God 
dwell  in  you." 

"  In  the  Spirit ;"  that  is,  in  the  power  of  the 
Spirit.  As  persons  encompassed  with  guards 
are  in  their  power,  under  their  command,  moved 
at  their  dispose,  so  are  men  who  are  in  the 
Spirit.  They  believe  as  He  teaches ;  they  work 
as  He  enables ;  they  choose  what  He  calls  good ; 
they  are  friends  of  His  friends ;  and  they  hate 
with  His  hatred ;  with  tliis  only  difference,  that 
persons  in  custody  are  forced  to  do  what  their 
keepers  please,  and  nothing  is  free  but  their 
wills ;  but  they  that  are  under  the  command  of  the 


220  FIFTH   WEDNESDAY   IN   LENT. 

Spirit,  do  all  things  which  the  Spirit  commands, 
but  do  them  cheerfully,  and  their  will  is  now 
the  prisoner;  but  it  is  where  it  onght  to  be, 
and  where  it  desires  to  be,  and  it  cannot  easily 
choose  any  thing  else,  because  it  is  extremely  in 
love  with  this  ;  as  the  saints  and  angels  in  their 
state  of  beatific  vision  cannot  choose  but  love 
God ;  and  yet  the  liberty  of  their  choice  is  not 
lessened,  because  the  object  fills  all  the  capaci- 
ties of  the  will  and  the  understanding.  IN'o  man 
will  complain  that  his  temples  are  restrained, 
and  his  head  is  prisoner,  when  it  is  encircled 
with  a  crown ;  and  when  the  Son  of  God  hath 
made  us  free,  and  hath  only  subjected  us  to  the 
service  and  dominion  of  the  Spirit,  we  are  free 
as  princes  within  the  circle  of  their  diadem; 
our  chains  are  bracelets,  and  the  law  is  a  law  of 
liberty,  and  "  His  service  is  perfect  freedom ;" 
and  the  more  we  are  subjects,  the  more  we 
shall  reign  as  kings ;  and  the  faster  we  run,  the 
easier  is  our  burden ;  and  Christ's  yoke  is  like 
feathers  to  a  bird ;  not  loads,  but  helps  to  mo- 
tion ; — without  them  the  body  falls. 

A  man  that  hath  tasted  of  God's  Spirit  can 
instantly  discern  the  madness  that  is  in  rage, 
the  folly  and  disease  that  are  in  envy,  the  dis- 
honor that  is  in  breaking  our  faith  and  telling  a 
lie ;  and  understands  things  truly  as  they  are — 
that  is,  that  charity  is  the  greatest  nobleness  in 
the  world  ;  that  religion  hath  in  it  the  greatest 


CHRISTIAN   JOY.  221 

pleasures ;  that  temperance  is  the  best  security 
of  health ;  that  humilitj  is  the  surest  way  to 
honor.  And  all  these  relishes  are  nothing  but 
antepasts  of  heaven,  where  the  laborers  in  God's 
vineyard  shall  worship  eternally ;  w^here  St. 
Peter  and  St.  Paul  do  wear  their  crowns  of 
righteousness,  and  the  patient  persons  shall  be 
rewarded  with  Job,  and  the  meek  persons  with 
Christ  and  Moses,  and  all  with  God.  The  very 
expectation  of  which  is  so  delicious  an  enter- 
tainment of  all  our  reasonable  appetites  that  a 
spiritual  man  can  no  more  be  removed  or  en- 
ticed from  the  love  of  God  and  of  religion,  than 
the  moon  from  her  orb,  or  a  mother  from  loving 
the  son  of  her  joys  and  of  her  sorrows. 

I  have  read  of  a  spiritual  person  who  saw 
Heaven,  but  in  a  dream,  but  such  as  made  a 
great  impression  on  him  ;  and  when  he  awaked 
he  knew  not  his  cell,  nor  could  tell  how  night 
and  day  were  distinguished,  nor  could  discern 
oil  from  wine,  but  called  out  for  his  vision 
again.  And  this  lasted  till  he  was  told  of  his 
duty  and  matter  of  obedience,  and  the  fear  of  a 
sin  had  disencharmed  him,  and  caused  him  to 
take  care  lest  he  lose  the  substance  out  of 
greediness  to  possess  the  shadow.  And  if  it 
were  given  to  any  of  us  to  see  paradise  or  the 
third  heaven  (as  it  was  to  St.  Paul),  could  it  be 
that  ever  we  should  love  any  thing  but  Christ, 
or  follow  any  guide  but  the  Spirit,  or  desire  any 
9=- 


222  FIFTH   WEDNESDAY   IN   LENT. 

thing  but  Heaven,  or  understand  any  thing  to 
be  pleasant  but  what  shall  lead  thither  ?  Now 
what  a  vision  can  do,  that  the  Spirit  doth  cer 
tainly  to  them  that  entertain  Him.  They  that 
have  Him  really,  and  not  in  pretence  only,  are 
certainly  great  despisers  of  the  things  of  this 
world.  For  the  Spirit  makes  us  to  "  esteem  all 
things  as  loss  so  that  we  may  gain  Christ."  E"o 
gain  then  is  pleasant  but  godliness,  no  ambition 
but  longings  after  Heaven,  no  revenge  but 
against  ourselves  for  sinning,  nothing  but  God 
and  Christ.  As  the  King  of  Sodom  said  unto 
Abraham,  "  Secure  but  the  souls  to  us,  and  take 
our  goods." 

St.  John  spake  a  hard  saying,  but  by  the 
Spirit  of  manifestation  we  are  all  taught  to 
understand  it :  "  Whosoever  is  born  of  God 
doth  not  commit  sin,  for  his  seed  remaineth  in 
him,  and  he  cannot  sin  because  he  is  born  of 
God."  Every  sin  is  against  a  good  man's  na- 
ture ;  he  is  ill  at  ease  when  he  hath  missed  his 
usual  prayers ;  he  is  amazed  if  he  have  fallen 
into  an  error;  he  is  infinitely  ashamed  of  his 
imprudence;  he  remembers  a  sin  as  he  thinks 
of  an  enemy,  or  the  horrors  of  a  midnight  ap- 
parition ;  for  all  his  capacities,  his  understand- 
ing, and  his  choosing  faculties  are  filled  up  with 
the  love  and  the  desires  of  God.  And  this  is 
the  great  benefit  of  the  'Spirit  which  God  hath 


CHRISTIAN   JOY.  223 

given   to   us   as   an    antidote    against   worldly 
pleasures. 

But  the  Spirit  of  God  is  also  given  to  all  who 
truly  belong  to  Christ  as  an  antidote  against 
sorrows,  against  impatience,  against  the  evil 
accidents  of  the  world,  and  against  the  oppres- 
sion and  sinking  of  our  spirits  under  the  cross. 
There  is  a  certain  joy  and  spiiitual  rejoicing  that 
accompanies  them  in  whom  the  Holy  Ghost 
doth  dwell,  a  joy  in  the  midst  of  sorrow :  a  joy 
given  to  allay  the  sorrows  of  secular  troubles, 
and  to  alleviate  the  burden  of  persecution. 
This  St.  Paul  notes  to  this  purpose :  "  And 
ye  became  followers  of  us  and  of  the  Lord, 
having  received  the  word  in  much  affliction, 
with  joy  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  Worldly  afflic- 
tions and  spiritual  joy  may  very  well  dwell 
together ;  and  if  God  did  not  supply  us  out  of 
His  storehouses,  the  sorrow  of  this  world  would 
be  more  and  unmixed,  and  the  troubles  of  per- 
secution would  be  too  great  for  natural  confi- 
dences. For  who  shall  make  him  recompense 
that  lost  his  life  in  a  duel,  and  by  what  instru- 
ments shall  we  comfort  a  man  who  is  sick,  and 
poor,  and  disgraced,  and  vicious,  and  despairs 
of  any  thing  hereafter  ?  That  man's  condition 
proclaims  what  it  is  to  want  the  Spirit  of  God, 
"the  Spirit  of  Comfort."  Now  this  Spirit  of 
comfort  is  the  hope  and  confidence,  the  certain 


224  FIFTH   WEDNESDAY   IN   LENT. 

expectation  of  partaking,  in  the  inheritance  of 
Jesus ;  this  is  the  faith  and  patience  of  the 
saints ;  this  is  the  refreshment  of  all  wearied 
travellers,  the  cordial  of  all  languishing  sinners, 
the  support  of  the  scrupulous,  the  guide  of  the 
doubtful,  the  anchor  of  timorous  and  fluctuating 
souls,  the  confidence  and  the  staff  of  the  peni- 
tent. He  that  is  deprived  of  his  whole  estate 
for  a  good  conscience,  bv  tne  Spirit  he  meets 
this  couilbrt,  that  he  shall  find  it  again  with 
advantage  in  the  day  of  restitution:  and  this 
comfort  was  so  manifest  in  the  first  days  of 
Christianity,  that  it  was  no  unfrequent  thing  to 
see  holy  persons  court  a  martyrdom,  with  a 
fondness  as  great  as  is  our  impatience  and  tim- 
orousness  in  every  persecution. 

The  man  that  is  in  a  great  joy  cares  not  for 
any  trouble  that  is  less  than  his  joy ;  and  God 
hath  taken  so  great  care  to  secure  this  to  us,  that 
He  hath  turned  it  into  a  precept :  "  Rejoice  ever- 
more;" and  "Eejoice  in  the  Lordalway;  and 
again  I  say.  Rejoice."  But  this  rejoicing  must 
be  only  in  the  hope  that  is  laid  up  for  us.  For 
although  God  sometimes  makes  a  cup  of  sen- 
sible comfort  to  overflow  the  spirit  of  a  man, 
and  thereby  loves  to  refresh  his  sorrows ;  yet 
this  is  from  a  secret  principle  not  regularly 
given,  not  to  be  waited  for,  not  to  be  prayed 
for,  and  it  may  fail  us  if  we  think  upon  it;  but 
the  hope  of  life  eternal  can  never  fail  us,  and 


CHRISTIAN   JOT.  225 

the  joy  of  tliat  is  great  enough  to  make  us  suffer 
any  thing,  or  to  do  any  thing. 

To  death,  to  bands,  to  poverty,  to  banishment, 
to  tribunals — any  whither  in  hope  of  life  eternal ! 

As  long  as  this  anchor  holds  we  may  suffer  a 
storm,  but  cannot  suffer  shipwreck.  And  I 
desire  you  to  observe  how  good  a  God  w^e 
serve,  and  how  excellent  a  religion  He  has 
taught,  when  one  of  His  great  precepts  is  that 
we  should  ''rejoice  and  be  exceeding  glad." 
God  hath  given  us  the  spirit  of  rejoicing ;  not  a 
sullen  melancholy  spirit ;  not  the  spirit  of  bond- 
age, or  of  a  slave,  but  the  Spirit  of  His  Son ; 
consigning  us  by  a  holy  conscience  to  joys  un- 
speakable and  full  of  glory. 


PKATEE. 

O  God,  whose  mercy  reacheth  unto  the  hea- 
vens, and  Thy  righteousness  unto  the  clouds, 
teach  me  to  abhor  every  thing  that  is  evil,  and 
to  set  myself  in  every  good  way  ;  that  my  trust 
being  under  the  shadow  of  Thy  wings,  I  may 
rejoice  in  Thy  loving-kindness  all  the  days  of 
my  life ;  and  at  last  may  be  satisfied  with  the 
plenteousness  of  Thy  house,  and  in  the  light  of 
Thy  countenance  may  see  everlasting  light, 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.     Amen. 


FIFTH  THUESDAY  IN  LEI^T. 

CHRISTIAN  PERFECTION. 

"Therefore  leaving  the  principles  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  let  us 
go  on  unto  perfection."    Heb.  vi.  1. 

When  Hystaspes  asked  Cyrus  the  Persian  why 
he  preferred  Chrysantas  before  him,  since  he  did 
obey  all  his  commands;  the  prince  answered: 
*'  Chrysantas  does  not  stay  till  he  is  called  ;  and 
does  not  only  what  is  commanded,  but  what  is 
best,  what  he  knows  is  most  pleasing."  So  does 
every  perfect  man,  according  to  the  degrees  of 
his  love  and  his  perfection.  "  The  righteousness 
of  a  perfect  man  consists  not  in  legal  innocence, 
but  in  love  and  voluntary  obedience."  This  is 
that  charity  which  is  the  glory  of  Christianity, 
the  crown  of  all  other  graces.  ''  The  servant 
that  must  be  called  upon  at  every  step,  is  but  an 
unprofitable  and  unworthy  person :"  to  do  only 
what  we  are  commanded  will  never  bring  us  to 
the  portion  and  inheritance  of  sons.  We  must 
do  this  cheerfully,  and  we  must  do  more  :  ever 
contend  to  please  God  with  doing  that  which  is 
the  righteousness  of  God,  striving  for  perfection 
till  perfection  itself  becomes  perfect :  still  obey- 


CHRISTIAN   PERFECTION.  227 

ing  that  law  of  sons,  "  Love  the  Lord  with  all 
thy  heart,''  till  our  charity  itself  is  crowned. 
Every  person  therefore  that  is  in  the  state  of 
grace,  and  designs  to  do  his  duty,  must  think  of 
what  is  before  him,  not  what  is  past;  of  the 
stages  that  are  not  yet  run,  not  of  those  little 
portions  of  his  course  he  hath  already  finished. 
For  so  did  the  contenders  in  the  Olympic 
games — never  look  behind  but  contend  forwards : 
and  from  hence  St.  Paul  gives  the  rule  I  have 
now  described.  "  Brethren,  I  count  not  myself 
to  have  apprehended :  but  this  one  thing  I  do, 
forgetting  those  things  that  are  behind,  and 
reaching  forth  to  those  things  which  are  before,  I 
press  toward  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high 
calling.  Let  therefore  as  many  as  be  perfect,  be 
thus  minded."  Christian  perfection  is  always 
growing ;  it  stands  not  till  it  arrives  at  the  crown- 
ing of  him  that  runs.  And  if  St.  Paul,  who  had 
done  so  much,  and  suffered  so  much,  was  not 
very  confident,  but  that  if  he  did  look  back  he 
might  also  fall  back  ;  what  shall  we  say,  whose 
perfection  is  so  little,  so  infant  and  imperfect, 
that  we  are  come  forwards  but  a  little,  and  have 
great  spaces  still  to  measure  ? 

Every  man  therefore  that  is,  or  desires  to  be 
perfect,  must  endeavor  to  make  up  the  imperfec- 
tion or  meanness  of  his  services,  by  a  great,  a 
prompt,  an 'obedient,  and  a  loving  mind.  Tliere 
is  a  sort  of  working,  and  there  are  some  such 


FrPTH   THTJESDAT  IN   LENT. 

servants  wliicli  our  Lord  uses,  witli  the  usages  of 
sons,  not  of  slaves  or  servants.  "  He  will  gird 
Himself  and  serve  them ;"  "  He  will  call  them 
friends,  and  not  servants."  These  are  such  as 
serve,  as  St.  Paul  expresses  it,  "  in  the  simplicity 
of  their  heart ;  not  with  eye  service  ;"  but  hon- 
estly, heartily,  zealously  and  affectionately. 

To  be  good  according  to  the  rigor  of  the  law, 
to  do  what  w^e  are  forced  to  do,  and  to  go  to- 
wards evil  or  danger  as  far  as  we  can — these 
are  no  good  signs  of  a  filial  spirit,  this  is  not 
Christian  perfection.  God  forbids  unmerciful- 
ness :  he  that  is  not  unmerciful  keeps  the  com- 
mandment ;  but  he  that,  besides  his  abstinence 
from  unmercifulness  according  to  the  command- 
ment, shall  open  his  hand  and  his  heart,  and 
give  plentifully  to  the  poor, — this  man  shall 
have  a  reward ;  he  is  among  those  servants 
whom  his  "  Lord  will  make  to  sit  down,  and 
himself  will  serve  him."  God  commands  us  to 
pray.  He  obeys  this,  that  constantly  and  de- 
voutly keeps  his  morning  and  evening  sacrifice, 
offering  devoutly  twice  a  day.  Lie  that  prays 
thrice  a  day  does  better ;  and  he  that  prays  seven 
times  a  day  hath  done  no  work  of  supererroga- 
tion,  but  does  what  he  does  in  pursuance  of  the 
commandment. 

All  the  difference  is  in  the  manner  of  doing 
what  is  commanded ;  for  no  man  can  do  more 
than  he  is  commanded.     But  some  do  it  better. 


CHRISTIAN 'PEEFECTIOI^'.  229 

some  less  perfectly;  but  all  is  comprehended 
under  this  commandment  of  loving  God  with  all 
our  hearts.  Again,  when  St.  Paul  exhorted  the 
Corinthians  to  give  a  free  contribution  to  the 
poor  saints  at  Jerusalem,  he  invites  to  do  it  nobly 
and  cheerfully,  not  as  of  constraint ;  for  God's 
commandment  named  not  the  sum,  neither  can 
the  degree  of  affection  be  named ;  but  yet  God 
demands  all  our  affection.  And  so,  in  all  doubts, 
to  take  the  surest  side  ;  to  determine  always  for 
religion,  when  without  sin  we  might  have  de- 
termined for  interest ;  to  do  all  our  duty  by  the 
measures  of  love  and  of  the  Spirit,  are  instances 
of  this  filial  obedience,  and  are  rewarded  by  a 
persuasion  and  confidence  of  God's  love  to  us, 
enabling  us  to  call  Him  Father  as  well  as  Lord. 

Let  no  man,  therefore,  propound  to  himself  a 
limit  of  duty,  saying  he  will  go  so  far,  and  no 
farther.  For  the  commandment  is  infinite  ;  and 
though  every  good  man  obeys  it  all  the  way  of 
his  holy  conversation,  yet  it  shall  not  be  finished 
till  his  life  is  done.  When  the  object  is  infinite, 
true  love  is  not  at  rest  till  it  hath  possessed  what 
is  infinite. 

I^either  let  any  man  boast  himself  in  the  most 
glorious  services  and  performances  of  religion. 
For  "  humility  without  external  works  is  more 
pleasing  to  God  than  pride,  though  standing  upon 
heaps  of  excellent  actions."  "  Boast  not  if  thou 
hast  well  obeyed,"  said  one  ;  "  the  sun  and  the 
20 


230  FIFTH   THIJKSDAY   IN   LENT. 

moon  do  so,"  and  shall  never  be  rewarded. 
When  ourselves  and  all  our  faculties  are  from 
God,  He  hath  power  to  demand  all  onr  services 
without  reward  ;  and  therefore,  if  he  will  reward 
ns,  it  must  wholly  be  a  gift  to  us  that  He  will  so 
crown  our  services.  But  He  does  not  only  give 
ns  all  our  being  and  all  our  faculties,  but  makes 
them  also  irriguous  with  the  dew  of  His  divine 
grace ;  sending  His  only  Son  to  call  us  to  repent- 
ance, and  to  die  to  obtain  for  ns  pardon,  and 
resurrection,  and  eternal  life  ;  sending  His  Holy 
Spirit  by  rare  arguments,  and  aids  external  and 
internal,  to  help  us  in  our  spiritual  contentions 
and  difficulties :  while,  besides  these  considera- 
tions, many  sins  are  forgiven  to  us,  and  the  ser- 
vice of  a  whole  life  cannot  make  recompense  for 
the  intimate  favor  of  receiving  pardon. 

This  is  so  much  the  more  material,  if  we  con- 
sider that  the  littleness  of  our  services  (if  other 
things  were  away)  could  not  countervail  the  least 
moment  of  eternity ;  and  the  poor  countryman 
might  as  well  have  demanded  of  Cyrus  to  give 
him  a  province  for  his  handful  of  river-water,  as 
we  can  expect  of  God  to  give  us  Heaven  as  a 
reward  of  our  good  works. 

But  although  this  rule,  relying  upon  such 
great  and  convincing  grounds,  can  abolish  all 
proud  expectations  of  reward  from  God  as  a 
debtor  for  our  good  works,  yet  it  ought  not  to 
destroy  our  modest  confidence  and  our  rejoic- 


CHKISTIAN   PERFECTION.  231 

ings  in  God,  who  by  His  gracious  promises  hath 
not  only  obliged  Himself  to  help  us  if  we  pray 
to  Him,  but  to  reward  us  if  we  work.  For  ''  our 
God  is  merciful.  He  rewardeth  every  man  ac- 
cording to  his  work,"  so  said  David  ;  according 
to  the  nature  and  graciousness  of  the  work,  not 
according  to  their  value  and  proper  worthiness ; 
not  that  they  deserve  it,  but  because  God  for  the 
communication  of  His  goodness  was  pleased  to 
promise  it.  "  God  promised  freely,  and  pays 
freely."  "  If,  therefore,  thou  wilt  obtain  grace 
and  favor,  make  no  mention  of  thy  deservings. 
And  yet  let  not  this  slacken  thy  work,  but  rein- 
force it,  and  enlarge  thy  industry,  since  thou 
hast  a  gracious  Lord,"  who  of  His  own  mere 
goodness  will  so  plentifully  reward  it.  Spiritual 
23ersons,  therefore,  and  the  nearest  relations  to 
God,  stand  by  Him  but  so  long  as  they  dwell 
low  and  safe  in  humility,  and  rise  high  in  noth- 
ing but  in  labors,  and  zeal  of  souls  and  devotion. 
And  to  that  fervor  and  zeal,  it  is  required  that 
we  be  constant  and  persevering.  "  Be  faithful 
unto  death,"  said  the  Spirit  of  God  to  the  angel 
of  the  Church  of  Smyrna,  "  and  I  will  give  thee 
a  crown  of  life."  This  fire  must  never  go  out, 
but  it  must  be  like  the  fire  of  Heaven,  it  must 
shine  like  the  stars.  Though  sometimes  covered 
with  a  cloud,  or  obscured  by  a  greater  light,  yet 
they  dwell  forever  in  their  orbs,  and  walk  in 
their  circles,  and  observe  their  circumstances, 


^32  FIFTH   THURSDAY    IN    LENT. 

but  go  not  out  by  day  nor  night,  and  set  not 
when  kings  die,  nor  are  extinguished  when  na- 
tions change  their  government.  So  must  the 
zeal  of  the  Christian  be — a  constant  incentive  to 
his  duty ;  and  though  sometimes  his  hand  is 
drawn  back  by  violence  or  need,  and  his  prayers 
shortened  by  the  importunities  of  business,  and 
some  parts  omitted  by  necessities  and  just  com- 
pliances, yet  still  the  fire  is  kept  alive  ;  it  burns 
within  when  the  light  breaks  not  forth,  and  is 
eternal  as  the  orb  of  fire,  or  the  embers  of  the 
altar  of  incense.  I  shall  only  add  what  an  old 
spiritual  person  told  a  novice  in  religion,  asking 
him  the  cause  why  he  so  often  suffered  tedious- 
ness  in  his  religious  offices  :  "  Young  man,  thou 
hast  not  seen  the  glories  which  are  laid  up  for 
the  zealous  and  devout,  nor  yet  beheld  the 
flames  which  are  prepared  for  the  lukewarm  and 
the  haters  of  strict  devotion."  The  Jews  tell 
that  Adam,  having  seen  the  beauties  and  tasted 
the  delicacies  of  Paradise,  repented  and  mourned 
upon  the  Indian  mountains  for  three  hundred 
years  together  ;  and  we,  who  have  a  great  share 
in  the  cause  of  his  sorrows,  can  by  nothing  be 
invited  to  a  persevering,  a  great,  and  a  passion- 
ate religion,  more  than  by  remembering  what  he 
lost,  and  what  is  laid  up  for  them  wliose  hearts 
are  burning  lamps,  and  are  all  on  fire  with  Di- 
vine love ;  whose  flames  are  fanned  with  the 
wings  of  the  Holy  Dove  ;  and  whose  spirits  shine 


CHRISTIAN   PERFECTION.  233 

and  burn  with  that  fire  which  the  Holy  Jesus 
came  to  enkindle  upon  the  earth. 


PRAYER. 

O  Blessed  Lord  God,  whose  words  are  light 
and  life  to  the  obedient  and  believing  soul,  let 
Thy  grace  so  purify  my  heart  that  I  may  be  un- 
defiled  in  Thy  way,  keeping  Thy  testimonies, 
and  serving  Thee  with  my  whole  heart;  that 
my  ways  being  made  direct  without  wandering 
into  by-paths,  I  may  at  length  attain  to  the 
country  of  my  inheritance,  the  land  of  glorious 
and  eternal  promises,  through  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord.     Amen. 

20« 


FIFTH  FKIDAT  IN  LEKT. 

THE  FIRST  BEATITUDE. 

"  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit ;  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of 
Heaven."    Matt.  v.  3. 

The  eight  beatitudes,  which  are  the  duty  of  a 
Christian,  and  the  rule  of  our  spirit,  and  the 
special  discipline  of  Christ,  seem  like  so  many- 
paradoxes  and  impossibilities  reduced  to  reason ; 
and  are  indeed  virtues  made  excellent  by  re- 
wards, by  the  sublimity  of  grace  and  the  mer- 
cies of  God,  hallowing  and  crowning  those 
habits  which  are  despised  by  the  w^orld,  and  are 
esteemed  the  conditions  of  lower  and  less  con- 
siderable people.  They  are  states  of  suffering 
rather  than  states  of  life  :  for  the  great  employ- 
ment of  a  Christian  being  to  bear  the  cross, 
Christ  laid  the  pedestal  so  low,  that  the  rewards 
were  like  rich  mines  interred  in  the  deeps  and 
inaccessible  retirements,  and  did  choose  to  build 
our  felicities  upon  the  torrents  and  violences  of 
affliction  and  sorrow.  Without  these  graces  we 
cannot  get  to  Heaven ;  and  without  sorrow  and 
sad  accidents  we  cannot  exercise  these  graces. 

"  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit ;  for  theirs  is 


THE   rmST   BEATTTUDE.  235 

tlie  kingdom  of  heaven."  Poverty  of  spirit  is  in 
respect  of  secular  affluence  and  abundance,  or 
in  respect  of  great  opinion  and  high  thoughts. 
That  the  first  is  one  of  the  meanings  of  this  text 
is  certain,  because  St.  Luke,  repeating  this  be- 
atitude, delivers  it  plainly :  "  Blessed  are  the 
poor;"  and  to  it  he  opposes  riches.  And  our 
blessed  Saviour  speaks  so  suspiciously  of  riches 
and  rich  men,  that  he  represents  the  condition 
to  be  full  of  danger  and  temptation  ;  and,  if  we 
consider  our  vocation,  St.  Paul  informs  us,  that 
"  not  many  mighty,  not  many  noble,  are  called ;" 
but  "  God  hath  chosen  the  poor  of  this  world, 
rich  in  faith."  How  "  hard  it  is  for  a  rich  man 
to  enter  into  Heaven,"  our  great  Master  hath 
taught  us,  by  saying,  "It  is  more  easy  for  a 
camel  to  pass  through  a  needle's  eye."  And 
the  reason  is,  because  of  the  infinite  temptation 
which  riches  minister  to  our  spirits;  it  being 
such  an  opportunity  of  vices,  that  nothing  re- 
mains to  countermand  the  act  but  a  strong, 
resolute,  unaltered,  and  habitual  purpose,  and 
pure  love  of  virtue ;  while  poverty  is  the  sister 
of  a  good  mind,  and  ministers  aid  to  wisdom, 
industry  to  our  spirit,  severity  to  our  thoughts, 
soberness,  to  counsels,  and  modesty  to  our  de- 
sires. 

But  it  is  not  a  mere  poverty  of  possession 
which  entitles  us  to  the  blessing,  but  a  poverty 
of  spirit ;  that  is,  a  contentedness  in  every  state, 


236  FIFTH   FRIDAY   IN   LENT. 

an  aptness  to  renounce  all  when  we  are  obliged 
in  duty,  a  refusing  to  continue  a  possession 
when  we  must  for  it  quit  a  virtue  or  a  noble 
action,  a  divorce  of  our  affections  from  those 
gilded  vanities,  and  a  generous  contempt  of  the 
world.  Poverty  of  spirit  accounts  riches  to  be 
the  servants  of  God  first,  and  then  of  ourselves, 
being  sent  by  God,  and  to  return  when  He 
pleases,  and  all  the  while  they  are  with  us  to  do 
His  business.  It  is  a  looking  upon  riches  and 
things  of  the  earth,  as  they  do  who  look  upon  it 
from  Heaven,  to  whom  it  appears  little  and  un- 
profitable. And  because  the  residence  of  this 
blessed  poverty  is  in  the  mind,  it  follows  that 
all  that  humility  of  mind  which  depauperates 
the  spirit,  making  it  less  worldly  and  more  spir- 
itual, is  the  duty  here  enjoined.  For  if  a  man 
throws  away  his  gold,  as  did  Crates  the  Theban, 
or  the  proud  philosopher  Diogenes,  and  yet 
leaves  a  spirit,  high,  airy,  fantastical,  and  vain, 
pleasing  himself,  and  with  complacency  reflect- 
ing upon  his  own  act,  his  poverty  is  but  a  cir- 
cumstance of  pride,  and  the  opportunity  of  an 
imaginary  and  secular  greatness.  Ananias  and 
Sapphira  renounced  the  world  by  selling  their 
possessions;  but  because  they  were  not  "poor 
in  spirit,"  but  still  retained  affections  to  the 
world,  therefore  they  "  kept  back  part  of  the 
price,"  and  lost  their  hopes.  The  church  of 
Laodicea  was  possessed  with  a  spirit  of  pride, 


THE  FIRST  BEATITUDE.  237 

and  flattered  themselves  in  imaginary  riches; 
they  were  not  poor  in  spirit,  but  they  were  poor 
in  possession  and  condition.  These  wanted  hu- 
mility, the  other  wanted  a  generous  contem.pt  of 
worldly  things ;  and  both  were  destitute  of  this 
grace. 

K  we  consider  that  God  sent  his  only-begot- 
ten and  beloved  Son  into  the  world,  in  all  the 
dresses  of  poverty  and  contempt ;  that  person 
must  needs  be  vain,  who  thinks  God  will  love 
him  better  than  He  loved  His  own  Son,  or 
that  He  will  express  His  love  any  other  or 
gentler  way,  than  to  make  him  partaker  of  the 
fortune  of  His  eldest  Son. 

For  in  the  birth  of  Christ  are  concentred  the 
prodigies  of  greatness  and  goodness,  of  wisdom 
and  charity,  of  meekness  and  humility.  As 
God,  Christ's  throne  was  in  the  Heaven,  and  He 
filled  all  things  by  His  immensity ;  as  man,  He 
was  imprisoned  in  an  imeasy  cradle.  As  God, 
He  was  seated  upon  a  super-exalted  throne  ;  as 
man,  exposed  to  the  lowest  estate  of  uneasiness 
and  need.  As  God,  He  was  encircled  with 
millions  of  angels ;  as  man,  in  the  company  of 
beasts.  As  God,  He  was  the  Eternal  Tford  of 
the  Father — eternal,  sustained  by  Himself,  all- 
sufficient,  and  without  need:  and  yet  He  sub- 
mitted Himself  to  a  condition  imperfect,  in- 
glorious, indigent,  and  necessitous. 

This  consideration  is  apt  and  natural  to  pro- 


238  FIFTH   FRIDAY   IN   LENT. 

duce  great  affections  of  love,  dutj,  and  ob"^- 
dience,  desire  of  union  and  conformity  to  His 
sacred  person,  life,  actions,  and  laws ;  from 
hence  taking  patterns  of  imitation,  becoming 
His  disciples,  and  strictly  observing  the  rules 
of  His  lioly  institution, — "sitting  at  the  feet" 
of  this  our  greatest  Master. 

They  that  would  be  poor  in  spirit  must  there- 
fore cast  oif  all  inordinate  affection  to  riches; 
that  is,  in  heart  and  spirit :  they  must  quit 
the  possession  of  all  riches,  and  actually  do 
so  when  God  requires  it,  when  the  retaining 
riches  loses  a  virtue.  They  must  be  well 
pleased  with  the  whole  economy  of  God,  His 
providence  and  disj)ensation  of  all  things,  being 
contented  in  all  estates ;  employing  that  w^ealth 
which  God  hath  given  in  actions  of  justice  and 
religion ;  being  thankful  to  God  in  all  temporal 
losses,  not  distrusting  God,  or  being  solicitous 
and  fearful  of  want  in  the  future.  They  must 
also  put  off  the  spirit  of  vanity,  pride,  and 
fantastic  complacency  in  themselves,  thinking 
lowly  or  meanly  of  whatsoever  they  are  to  do : 
they  must  prefer  others  before  themselves,  con- 
tentedly receive  affronts,  deny  their  own  will 
in  all  instances  of  subordination  to  superiors, 
and  their  own  judgment  in  matters  of  difficulty 
and  question,  permitting  themselves  and  their 
affairs  to  the  advice  of  wiser  men,  and  the  de- 
cision of  those  who  are  trusted  with  the  cure  of 


THE  FIEST  BEATITUDE.  239 

tlieir  souls :  above  all,  they  must  empty  them- 
selves of  themselves,  and  throw  themselves 
wholly  upon  God,  relying  upon  His  providence, 
trusting  Ilis  promises,  craving  His  grace,  and 
depending  upon  His  strength  for  all  actions, 
and  deliverances,  and  duties. 

The  reward  promised  is  "  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.  Fear  not,  little  flock,  it  is  your  Fa- 
ther's pleasure  to  give  you  a  kingdom." 

In  this  life,  indeed,  the  servants  of  God  must 
live  under  the  cross.  "  He  that  w^ill  be  My  dis- 
ciple, let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his 
cross  and  follow  Me,"  said  our  glorious  Lord 
and  Master.  And  the  prophetic  precept  we 
see  verilied  by  the  experience  of  every  day. 
For  here  the  violent  oppress  the  meek ;  and 
they  who  are  charitable  receive  injuries.  The 
Apostles  who  preached  Christ  cruciiied  were 
themselves  persecuted,  and  put  to  violent 
deaths ;  and  Christianity  itself  for  three  hun- 
dred years  was  the  public  hatred ;  and  how 
many  millions  of  sighs  does  God  every  day  re- 
cord, while  the  oppressed  and  the  poor  pray 
unto  Him,  worship  Him,  speak  great  things  of 
His  holy  name,  beg  for  help  that  they  may  be- 
come gracious  in  His  eyes,  and  are  so  ;  and  yet 
never  sing  in  all  their  life,  but  when  they  sing 
God's  praises  out  of  duty,  with  a  sad  heart  and 
a  hopeful  spirit,  living  only  upon  the  future, 
and  sustained  only  by  the  hope  of  to-morrow's 


240  FIFTH   FRIDAY   IN   LENT. 

event ;  knowing  they  shall  never  be  happy  till 
"  the  new  heavens  and  the  new  earth"  appear. 

Yet  this  is  not  to  be  so  understood  as  if  the 
servants  of  God  have  not  many  refreshments, 
and  great  comforts,  and  the  perpetual  festivities 
of  a  holy  conscience.  But  God,  who  intends 
vast  portions  of  felicity  to  His  children,  does 
not  reckon  those  little  joys  into  the  account  of 
the  portion  of  His  elect.  The  good  things 
which  they  have  in  this  world  are  not  little,  if 
we  account  the  joys  of  religion,  and  the  peace 
of  conscience  among  things  valuable ;  but 
their  good,  and  their  prepared  portion  shall  be 
hereafter.  As  for  the  evil  which  they  must 
suffer  and  overcome,  it  is  such  a  portion  of  this 
life  as  our  blessed  Saviour  had ;  injuries  and 
temptations,  poverty  and  labor,  humility  and 
patience.  It  is  well ;  it  is  very  well ; — and 
who  can  long  for,  or  expect  better  here  ;  when 
his  Lord  and  Saviour  had  a  state  of  things  so 
very  much  worse  than  the  worst  of  our  calami- 
ties? Bad  as  it  is,  it  is  to  be  chosen  rather 
than  a  better.  It  is  Jacob's  ladder  upon  which 
the  Saints  and  the  King  of  Saints  did  descend, 
and  at  last  descend  to  heaven  itself.  It  is  a 
sharp,  but  it  is  a  short  way  to  bliss.  For  it  is 
remarkable  in  the  parable  of  Dives  and  Lazarus 
that  the  poor  man,  the  afflicted  Saint,  died 
first.  Dives  being  permitted  to  his  purple  and 
fine  linen,  to  his  delicious  fare,  and  (which  he 


TIIE   FIRST   BEATITUDE.  241 

most  of  all  needed)  to  a  space  of  repentance ; 
but  in  tlie  mean  time,  the  poor  man  was  rescued 
from  his  sad  portion  in  this  life,  and  carried 
into  Abraham's  bosom.  The  storm  was  quickly 
over  with  the  poor  man,  and  the  angel  of  God 
brought  the  good  man's  soul  to  a  safe  port, 
where  he  should  be  disturbed  no  more  :  and  so 
saith  the  Spirit,  "  Blessed  are  the  dead  which 
die  in  the  Lord."  For  to  them,  death  hath  not 
only  lost  his  sting,  but  brings  a  coronet  in  his 
hand,  which  will  invest  and  adorn  the  heads 
of  Saints,  till  the  day  come  in  which  the  crown 
of  righteousness  shall  be  brought  forth  to  give 
them  the  investiture  of  an  everlastino^  kingdom. 


PRAYER. 

O  Blessed  Saviour,  Thou  only  Eedeemer  of 
our  souls,  who  by  Thy  death  and  Passion,  hast 
delivered  us  from  the  place  of  hell ;  give  me 
grace  to  put  my  whole  trust  in  Thee,  and  in  the 
riches  of  Thy  mercy  and  loving-kindness  ;  teach 
me  to  despise  the  world  and  worldly  things,  and 
to  lay  np  my  treasure  in  heaven,  by  charity  and 
actions  of  religion,  that  while  I  live  here  I  may 
have  my  conversation  in  heaven,  and  finally  be 
received  into  everlasting  habitations,  there  to 
enjoy  the  light  of  Thy  presence,  who  livest  and 
reignest  Eternal  God,  world  without  end.  Amen. 
21 


FIFTH  SATURDAY  m  LENT. 

THE  SECOND  BEATITUDE. 

"  Blessed  are  they  that  mourn :  for  they  shall  be  comforted." 
Matt.  v.  4. 

"  Blessed  are  tliey  that  mourn :  for  thej  shall 
be  comforted."  "  Tribulation  worketh  patience ;" 
and  therefore,  "  we  glory  in  it,"  saith  St.  Paul ; 
and  as  men  do  well,  and  suffer  evil,  so  they  are 
dear  to  God ;  and  whom  He  loves  most  He 
afflicts  most,  and  does  this  with  a  design  of  the 
greatest  mercy  in  the  world. 

The  state  of  the  Gospel  is  a  state  of  sufferings, 
not  of  temporal  prosperities.  All  that  Christ 
came  for,  was,  or  was  mingled  with,  sufferings ; 
for  all  those  little  joys  which  God  sent,  either  to 
recreate  His  person,  or  to  illustrate  His  office, 
were  abated,  or  attended  with  afflictions :  God 
being  more  careful  to  establish  in  Him  the  cove- 
nant of  sufferings,  than  to  refresh  His  sorrows. 
Presently  after  the  angels  had  finished  their 
hallelujahs,  He  w^as  forced  to  fly  to  save  His 
life ;  and  the  air  became  full  of  shrieks  of  the 
desolate  mothers  of  Bethlehem  for  their  dying 
babes  :  God  had  no  sooner  made  Him  illustrious 


THE    SECOND   BEATITUDE.  243 

with  a  voice  from  heaven,  and  the  descent  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  upon  Him  in  the  waters  of  Bap- 
tism, hut  He  was  delivered  over  to  he  tempted 
and  assaulted  in  the  wilderness.  His  traustigu- 
ration  was  a  bright  ray  T)f  glory  ;  but  then  also 
He  entered  into  a  cloud,  and  was  told  a  sad  story 
what  He  was  to  suffer  at  Jerusalem.  And  upon 
Palm  Sunday — when  He  rode  triumphantly  into 
Jerusalem,  and  was  adorned  with  the  acclama- 
tions of  a  King  and  a  God — He  wet  the  palms 
with  His  tears,  sweeter  than  the  drops  of  manna, 
or  the  little  pearls  of  heaven  that  descended 
upon  Mount  Hermon ;  weeping,  in  the  midst  of 
this  triumph  over  obstinate,  perishing,  and  ma- 
licious Jerusalem. 

But  I  need  not  tell,  that  Jesus,  beloved  of 
God,  was  a  suffering  person ;  that  which  con- 
cerns this  question  most,  is,  that  He  made  for 
us  a  covenant  of  suffering.  His  doctrines  were 
such  as  expressly  enjoin  and  suppose  sufferings 
and  a  state  of  affliction ;  His  very  promises  were 
sufferings ;  His  beatitudes  were  sufferings ;  His 
rewards,  and  His  arguments  to  invite  men  to 
follow  Him,  were  only  taken  from  sufferings  in 
this  life,  and  the  reward  of  sufferings  hereafter. 
For,  if  we  sum  uj)  the  commandments  of  Christ, 
we  shall  find  humility — mortification — self-deni- 
al— repentance — renouncing  the  world — mourn- 
ing— taking  up  the  Cross — dying  for  Him — 
patience — and  poverty — to  stand  in  the  chiefest 


244  FUTH    SATURDAY   IN   LENT. 

rank  of  Christian  virtues,  and  in  the  direct  order 
to  heaven.  "  He  that  will  be  My  disciple  must 
deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross  and  follow 
Me."  If  we  will  serve  the  King  of  sufferings — 
whose  crown  was  of  thorns,  whose  sceptre  was  a 
reed  of  scorn,  whose  imperial  robe  was  a  scarlet 
mockery,  whose  throne  was  the  cross — we  must 
serve  Him  in  sufferings,  in  poverty  of  sj^irit,  in 
humility  and  mortification. 

For  Christ — who  began,  and  lived,  and  died 
in  sorrows,  perceiving  His  own  sufferings  to 
succeed  so  w^ell,  and  that,  "  for  suffering  death, 
He  was  croAvned  with  immortality" — resolved 
to  take  all  His  disciples  and  servants  to  the 
fellowship  of  the  same  suffering,  that  they  might 
have  a  participation  of  His  glory  ;  knowing  that 
God  had  oj)ened  no  gate  of  heaven  but  "the 
narrow  gate"  to  which  the  cross  was  the  way. 
And  since  Christ,  now  being  our  High  Priest  in 
heaven,  intercedes  for  us,  by  representing  His 
Passion,  that  even  in  glory  He  might  still  pre- 
serve the  mercies  of  His  past  sufferings,  for 
wdiich  the  Father  did  so  delight  in  Him ;  He 
also  designs  to  present  us  to  God,  dressed  in 
the  same  robe,  and  treated  in  the  same  manner, 
and  honored  w^ith  "  the  marks  of  the  Lord  Je- 
sus:"  "He  hath  predestinated  us  to  be  con- 
formable to  the  image  of  His  Son."  And  if, 
under  a  head  crowned  with  thorns,  we  bring  to 
God  members  circled  with  roses,  and  softness, 


THE    SECOND   BEATITUDE.  24:5 

and  delicacy,  triumphant  members  in  the  mili- 
tant church,  God  will  reject  us ;  He  will  not 
know  us  Avho  are  so  unlike  our  Elder  Brother. 

And,  indeed,  it  is  so  glorious  a  thing  to  be 
like  Christ,  to  be  dressed  like  the  Prince  of  the 
Catholic  Church,  who  was  a  man  of  sufferings, 
and  to  whom  a  prosperous  and  unafflicted  per- 
son is  very  unlike,  that  in  all  ages  the  servants 
of  God  have  put  on  the  armor  of  righteousness, 
on  the  right  hand  and  on  the  left:  that  is,  in 
the  sufferings  of  persecution,  or  the  labors  of 
mortification ;  by  toleration  or  self-denial ;  by 
actual  martyrdom  or  by  aptness  and  disposition 
towards  it ;  by  dying  for  Christ  or  suffering  for 
Him ;  by  being  willing  to  part  with  all  when 
He  calls  for  it,  and  by  parting  with  what  we 
can  for  the  relief  of  His  poor  members.  For 
know  this — there  is  no  state  in  the  Church  so 
serene,  no  days  so  prosperous,  in  which  God 
does  not  give  to  His  servants'the  powers  and 
opportunities  of  suffering  for  Him.  Not  only 
they  that  die  for  Christ,  but  they  that  die  ac- 
cording to  His  laws,  shall  find  some  lives  to 
part  with,  and  many  ways  to  suffer  for  Christ. 
To  kill  and  crucify  the  old  man  and  his  lusts,  to 
mortify  a  beloved  sin,  to  suffer  affi'onts  patient- 
ly, to  displease  men  rather  than  God,  to  be  at 
enmity  with  the  world  that  you  may  preserve 
friendship  with  God,  to  take  pains  in  the  cause 
of  religion,  the  "  labor  of  love,"  and  the  crossing 

21 « 


246  FIFTH   SATURDAY   IN   LENT. 

of  your  anger,  peevislmess  and  morosity :  these 
are  the  daily  sufferings  of  a  Christian ;  and  if  we 
perform  them  well,  will  have  the  same  reward, 
and  an  equal  smart,  and  greater  labor,  than  the 
plain  suffering  the  hangman's  sword. 

"  Judgment  must  begin  at  God's  house,"  and 
enters  first  upon  the  sons  and  heirs  of  the  king- 
dom ;  and  if  it  be  not  by  the  direct  persecution 
of  tyrants,  it  will  be  by  the  direct  persecution 
of  the  devil,  or  infirmities  of  our  own  flesh. 
And  if  God  was  fain  to  multiply  miracles  to 
make  Christ  capable  of  being  a  ''  man  of  sor- 
rows ;"  shall  we  think  He  will  work  miracles  to 
make  us  delicate  ?  He  promised  us  a  glorious 
portion  hereafter,  to  which,  if  all  the  sufferings 
of  the  world  were  put  together  tlioy  ai*e  not  to 
be  compared ;  and  shall  we,  with  Dives,  choose 
our  portion  of  "good  things  in  this  life?"  If 
Christ  suffered  so  many  things  only  that  He 
might  give  us  glory,  shall,  it  be  strange  that  we 
shall  suffer  who  are  to  receive  His  glory  ?  How 
little  is  the  faith,  and  how  much  less  is  the 
patience  of  Christians,  if  they  shall  think  much 
to  suffer  sorrow,  since  they  so  clearly  see  with 
the  eye  of  faith  the  great  things  which  are  laid 
up  for  them  that  are  "  faithful  unto  the  death." 
The  sufferings  of  the  saints  are  the  sum  of  Chris- 
tian philosophy :  they  are  sent  to  wean  us  from 
the  vanities  and  affections  of  this  world,  and  to 
create  in  us  strong  desires  of  heaven ;  while  God 


THE   SECOND   BEATITUDE.  247 

causes  ns  to  be  here  treated  rudely,  that  we  may 
long  to  be  in  our  country,  where  God  shall  be 
our  portion  and  angels  our  companions,  and 
Christ  our  perpetual  feast,  and  never-ceasing 
joy  shall  be  our  conditions  and  entertainment. 
"  O  death,  how  bitter  art  thou  to  a  man  that  is 
at  ease  and  rest  in  his  possessions!"  But  he 
that  is  uneasy  in  his  body  and  unquiet  in  his 
possessions,  vexed  in  his  person,  discomposed  in 
his  designs,  who  finds  no  pleasure,  no  rest  here, 
will  be  glad  to  fix  his  heart  where  only  he  shall 
have  what  he  can  desire,  and  what  can  make 
him  happy. 

And  let  us  remember,  the  worst  of  evils  that 
happen  to  the  godly  is  better,  temporally  better, 
than  the  greatest  external  felicity  of  the  wicked. 
IS'ot  only  in  the  end  of  affairs,  and  at  sunset,  but 
all  the  day  long,  the  godly  man  is  happy,  and 
the  ungodly  and  the  sinner  are  very  miserable. 
For  the  godly  man  is  timorous,  and  yet  safe ; 
tossed  by  the  seas,  and  yet  safe  at  anchor ;  im- 
paired by  evil  accidents,  and  righted  by  Divine 
comforts;  made  sad  with  a  black  cloud,  and 
refreshed  with  a  more  gentle  influence ;  abused 
by  the  world,  and  yet  an  heir  of  heaven ;  hated 
by  men  and  beloved  of  God.  He  quits  a  con- 
venient lodging-room,  and  purchases  a  glorious 
country ;  is  forsaken  by  his  friends,  but  never 
by  a  good  conscience;  he  fares  hardly,  and 
sleeps  sweetly;  he  flies  from  his  enemies,  but 


2i8  FIFTH    SATURDAY   IN   LENT. 

hath  no  distracting  fears ;  he  is  full  of  thought, 
but  of  no  amazement ;  it  is  his  business  to  be 
troubled,  and  his  portion  to  be  comforted ;  he 
hath  nothing  to  afflict  him  but  the  loss  of  that 
which  might  be  his  danger,  but  can  never  be 
his  good;  and  in  the  recompense  of  this,  he  hath 
God  for  his  Father,  Christ  for  his  Captain,  the 
Holy  Ghost  for  his  Supporter ;  so  that  he  shall 
have  all  the  good  which  God  can  give  him,  and 
of  all  that  good  he  hath  the  Holy  Trinity  for  an 
earnest,  and  a  gage  for  his  maintenance  at  the 
present,  and  his  portion  to  all  eternity. 

PKAYEE. 

O  Lord  God,  who  dwellest  in  the  heavens, 
and  in  whose  IS'ame  standeth  our  help ;  have 
mercy  upon  me  in  all  my  trials,  in  contempt,  in 
poverty,  in  temptation  and  sorrow.  Let  me 
never  be  distrustful  of  Thy  Providence ;  but 
make  me  willing  to  follow  after  my  merciful 
Saviour,  who  suffered  the  contradiction  of  sin- 
ners, and  left  sorrow  and  afflictions  entailed 
upon  His  Church ;  and  grant  that,  by  suffering 
with  Him  here,  I  may  at  last  reign  with  Him 
in  glory,  for  the  sake  of  His  infinite  merits. 
Amen. 


FIFTH  SUKDAY  m  LENT. 

CHRIST'S   JOURNEY   TO   JERUSALEM. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  time  was  come  that  He  should 
be  received  up,  He  steadfastly  set  His  face  to  go  to  Jerusa- 
lem."   Luke  ix.  51. 

He  that  hatli  observed  the  story  of  the  life 
of  Jesus  cannot  but  see  it,  all  the  way,  to  be 
strewed  with  thorns  and  sharp-pointed  stones ; 
and  although  by  the  kisses  of  His  feet  they  be- 
came precious  and  salutary,  yet  they  procured 
to  Him  sorrow  and  disease.  It  was  "  meat  and 
drink  to  Him  to  do  His  Father's  will,"  but  it 
was  "  bread  of  affliction,  and  rivers  of  tears  to 
drink ;"  and  for  these  He  thirsted  like  the  earth 
after  the  cool  stream.  For  so  great  was  His 
perfection,  so  exact  the  conformity  of  His  will, 
so  absolute  the  subordination  of  His  inferior 
faculties  to  the  infinite  love  of  God,  that  He 
never  considered  the  taste,  but  the  goodness; 
never  distinguished  sweet  from  bitter,  but  duty 
and  piety  always  prepared  His  table.  And 
now,  knowing  that  His  time,  determined  by  the 
Fathei',  was  nigh,  He  hastened  up  to  Jerusalem. 
"  He  went  before"  His  disciples,  saitli  St.  Mark, 


250  FIFTH    SUNDAY    EST    LENT. 

"  and  they  followed  Him  trembliiigand  amazed ;" 
and  yet,  before  that,  when  His  brethren  obsers^ed 
He  had  a  design  of  publication  of  Himself,  He 
suffered  them  "to  go  before  Him,"  and  went 
up,  as  it  were,  in  secret.  For  so  are  we  invited 
to  martyrdom  and  suffering  in  a  Christian  cause, 
by  so  great  an  example.  The  Holy  Jesus  is 
gone  before  us,  and  it  were  a  holy  contention  to 
strive  whose  zeal  were  forwardest  in  the  designs 
of  humiliation  and  self-denial ;  but  it  were  also 
well,  if,  in  doing  ourselves  secular  advantage, 
and  promoting  our  worldly  interest,  we  should 
follow  Him  who  was  ever  more  distant  from  re- 
ceiving honors  than  from  receiving  a  painful 
death. 

Those  affections,  which  dwell  in  sadness  and 
are  married  to  grief,  and  lie  at  the  foot  of  the 
cross,  and  trace  the  sad  steps  of  Jesus,  have  the 
wisdom  of  recollection,  the  temper  of  sobriety, 
and  are  the  best  imitations  of  Jesus  and  securi- 
ties against  the  levities  of  a  dispersed  and  a 
vain  spirit. 

This  was  intimated  by  many  of  the  disciples 
of  Jesus  in  the  days  of  the  Spirit,  and,  when 
they  had  tasted  of  the  good  word  of  God,  and 
the  powers  of  the  world  to  come ;  for  then  we 
find  many  ambitious  of  martyrdom,  and  that 
laid  stratagems  and  designs,  by  unusual  deaths, 
to  get  a  crown.  And  if  these  lesser  stars  shine 
so  brightly,  and  burn  so  warmly,  what  heat  of 


CHRIST'S    JOURNEY    TO    JERUSALEM.  251 

love  may  we  suppose  to  liave  been  in  tlie  Sun 
of  Righteousness?  If  they  went  fast  towards 
the  crown  of  martyrdom,  yet  we  know  that  the 
Holy  Jesus  went  before  them  all.  No  wonder 
that  '*IIe  cometh  forth  as  a  bridegroom  from 
his  chamber,  and  rejoiceth  as  a  giant  to  run  his 
course." 

AVhen  the  disciples  had  overtaken  Jesus,  He 
began  to  them  a  sad  homily  upon  the  old  text 
of  suffering,  which  He  had  well-nigh  for  a  year 
together  preached  upon  ;  but,  because  it  was  an 
unpleasing  lesson,  so  contradictory  to  those  in- 
terests, upon  the  hopes  of  which  they  had  enter- 
tained themselves,  and  spent  all  their  desii'es, 
they  could  by  no  means  understand  it.  But  it 
concerned  Christ  to  speak  so  plainly,  that  His 
disciples,  by  what  was  to  happen  within  live  or 
six  days,  might  not  be  scandalized,  or  believe  it 
happened  to  Jesus  without  His  knowledge  and 
voluntary  entertainment.  He  told  them  there- 
fore of  His  sufferings,  to  be  accomplished  in 
this  journey  to  Jerusalem.  And  here  the  dis- 
ciples showed  themselves  to  be  but  men  full  of 
passion  and  indiscreet  affection ;  and  the  bold 
Galilean,  St.  Peter,  took  the  boldness  to  dis- 
suade his  Master  from  so  great  an  infelicity, 
and  met  with  a  reprehension  so  great,  that 
neither  the  scribes  nor  the  Pharisees,  nor 
Herod  himself,  ever  met  with  its  parallel.  Jesus 
called  him  Satan ;    meaning  that  no    greater 


252  FIFTH   SUNDAY   IN   LENT. 

contradiction  can  be  offered  to  tlie  designs  of 
God  and  His  holy  Son  than  to  dissuade  ns  from 
suffering. 

And  if  we  understood  how  great  are  the 
advantages  of  a  suffering  condition,  we  should 
think  all  our  daggers  gilt,  and  our  pavements 
strewed  with  roses,  and  our  halters  silken,  and 
the  rack  an  instrument  of  pleasure,  and  be  most 
impatient  of  those  temptations  which  seduce  us 
into  ease,  and  divorce  ns  from  the  cross ;  as 
being  opposite  to  our  greatest  hopes  and  most 
perfect  desires.  But  still  this  humor  of  St. 
Peter's  imperfection  abides  among  ns.  He 
that  breaks  off  the  yoke  of  obedience,  and 
unties  the  bands  of  discipline,  and  preaches  a 
cheap  religion,  and  presents  Heaven  in  the 
midst  of  flowers,  and  strews  carpets  softer  than 
the  Asian  luxury,  in  the  way,  and  sets  the  songs 
of  Zion  to  the  tunes  of  Persian  and  lighter  airs, 
and  offers  great  liberty  of  living,  and  bondage 
under  affection  and  sins,  and  reconciles  Eternity 
with  the  present  enjoyment,  he  sliall  have  his 
schools  filled  with  disciples  :  but  he  that  preaches 
the  cross  and  the  severities  of  Christianity,  and 
the  strictnesses  of  a  holy  life,  shall  have  the  lot 
of  his  Blessed  Lord ;  he  shall  be  thought  ill  of 
and  deserted. 

For  men,  in  all  ages,  will  be  tampering  with 
shadows  and  toys.  The  Apostles  at  no  hand 
could  endure  to  hear  that  Christ's   "kingdom 


was  not  of  tliis  world,"  and  that  their  Master 
should  die  a  sad  and  shameful  death  ;  and  yet, 
after  Christ's  time,  when  His  disciples  had 
taken  up  the  cross,  and  were  marching  the 
King's  highway  of  sorrow,  the  Gospel  grew  in 
persecutions ;  and  as  Christ's  blood  did  cement 
the  corner-stones  and  the  first  foundations,  so 
the  blood  and  sweat,  the  groans  and  sighings, 
the  afflictions  and  mortifications,  of  saints  and 
martyrs  did  make  the  superstructure,  and  must 
at  last  finish  the  building. 


PKAYER. 

O  Merciful  Saviour,  who  for  our  sakes  didst 
give  Thyself  to  be  betrayed,  tormented,  spit 
upon,  crucified,  and  to  die  that  Thou  mightest 
purchase  for  us  redemption  from  the  sting  of 
death,  the  miseries  of  hell,  and  the  malice  and 
power  of  the  devil;  grant  that  those  victories 
which  Thou  hast  obtained,  may  procure  for  me 
peace  and  righteousness,  and  a  crown  of  glory 
in  the  heavens,  where  Thou  livest  and  reignest 
in  the  great  congregation  of  saints  and  angels, 
one  God,  world  without  end.  Amen. 
22 


FIFTH  MOjSTDAT  IN  LEKT. 

THE  THIRD  BEATITUDE. 

"  Blessed  are  the  meek :  for  they  shall  inherit  the  earth." 
Mait.  v.  5. 

"  Blessed  are  the  meek :  for  they  shall  possess 
the  earth :"  that  is,  the  gentler  and  softer  spirits, 
persons  not  turbulent  or  unquiet,  not  clamorous 
or  impatient,  not  querulous  or  discontented,  not 
nice  or  curious ;  but  men  who  submit  to  God, 
and  know  no  choice  of  fortune  or  employment 
or  success,  but  what  God  chooses  for  them,  hav- 
ing peace  at  home,  because  nothing  from  with- 
out does  discompose  their  spirit.  In  some,  meek- 
ness is  an  indifference  to  any  exterior  accident,  a 
:being  reconciled  to  all  conditions  and  instances 
•of  Providence,  a  reducing  ourselves  to  such  an 
evenness  and  interior  satisfaction,  that  there  is 
the  same  conformity  of  spirit  and  fortune,  by 
complying  witli  my  fortune,  as  if  my  fortune  did 
•comply  with  my  spirit.  And  therefore,  in  the 
order  of  beatitudes,  meekness  is  set  between 
mourning  and  desire,  that  it  might  attemper 
those  actions  by  indifference,  which  are  apt  to 
the  transportation  of  passion.    The  reward  ex- 


THE   THIRD   BEATITUDE.  255 

pressed,  is  "  a  possession  of  the  earth ;"  that  is,  a 
possession  of  all  which  is  excellent  here  below, 
to  consign  him  to  a  future  glory,  as  Canaan  was 
a  type  of  Heaven.  For  meekness  is  the  best 
cement  and  combining  of  friendship  ;  it  is  a 
great  endearment  of  ns  to  our  company.  It  is 
an  ornament  to  have  "  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit," 
a  prevention  of  quarrels,  and  pacifier  of  wrath  ; 
it  purchaseth  peace,  and  is  itself  a  quietness  of' 
sjDirit:  it  is  the  greatest  affront  to  all  injuries  in 
the  world ;  for  it  returns  them  upon  the  injuri- 
ous, and  makes  them  useless,  ineffective,  and  in- 
nocent; and  is  an  antidote  against  all  the  evil 
consequents  of  anger  and  adversity. 

When  the  case  of  Christianity  was  at  stake, 
and  the  devil  was  to  lose  his  kingdom,  he  stirred 
up,  and,  as  well  as  he  could,  he  made  active  all 
the  power  of  Rome,  and  all  the  learning  of  the 
Greeks,  and  all  the  malice  of  barbarous  people, 
and  all  the  prejudice  and  the  obstinacy  of  the 
Jews,  against  this  doctrine  and  institution.  Yet 
Christianity, — without  violence  or  armies,  with- 
out resistance  and  self-preservation,  without  chal- 
lenging of  privileges  or  fighting  against  tyranny^ 
— with  its  humility  and  meekness,  with  toleration 
and  patience,  with  obedience  and.  charity,  with 
praying  and  dying,  did  insensibly  turn  the  world 
into  Christian,  and  persecution  into  victory.  And 
60  have  I  seen  the  sun,  with  a  little  ray  of  distant 
light,  challenge  all  the  power  of  darkness;  and 


256  FIFTH  MONDAY   IN   LENT. 

without  violence  and  noise,  climbing  up  the  hill, 
hath  made  night  to  retire,  that  its  memory  was 
lost  in  the  joys  of  the  morning.  But  if  we  will 
certainly  understand  what  is  the  reward  of  meek- 
ness, we  may  best  know  it  by  understanding  the 
duty.  And  the  acts  of  this  Divine  grace  are — 
to  submit  to  all  the  instances  of  Divine  provi- 
dence, not  repining  at  any  accident  which  God 
hath  chosen  for  ns.  To  pursue  the  employment 
of  our  calling  in  which  we  are  placed,  not  de- 
spising the  meanness  of  any  work,  though  never 
so  disproportionable  to  our  abilities.  To  correct 
all  malice,  wrath,  evil-speaking,  and  inordina- 
tions  of  anger,  whether  in  respect  of  the  object 
or  the  degree.  At  no  hand  to  entertain  any 
thoughts  of  revenge  or  retaliation  of  evil.  To 
be  affable  and  courteous  in  our  deportment  to- 
wards all  persons  of  our  society  and  intercourse. 
I^ot  to  censure  or  reproach  the"  weakness  of  our 
neighbor,  but  support  his  burden,  cover  and  cure 
his  infirmities.  To  excuse  what  may  be  excused, 
lessening  severity,  and  being  gentle  in  reprehen- 
sion. To  be  patient  in  afflictions,  and  thankful 
under  the  cross.  To  endure  reproof,  with  shame 
at  ourselves  for  deserving  it,  and  thankfulness  to 
the  charitable  physician  that  offers  the  remedy. 
To  be  modest  and  fairly  mannered  towards  our 
superiors,  obeying,  reverencing,  speaking  honor- 
ably of,  and  doing  honor  to  aged  persons,  and  ali 
whom  God  hath  set  over  us,  according  to  their 


THE   XHIKD   BEATITUDE.  257 

several  capacities.  To  be  humble  in  our  exterior 
addresses  and  behavior  in  churches  and  all  holy 
places.  To  be  temperate  in  government,  lest  we 
provoke  to  wrath  those  whose  interest  of  person 
and  religion  we  are  to  defend  or  promote.  To 
do  our  endeavor  to  expiate  any  injury  we  did  by 
confessing  the  fact,  and  offering  satisfaction  and 
asking  forgiveness;  but  above  all  to  learn  our 
duty  from  Him  that  gave  it  in  commandment. 
"  Learn  of  Me,  for  I  am  meek,"  said  the  Holy 
Jesus.  To  Him  was  promised,  that  "  the  utter- 
most parts  of  the  earth  should  be  His  inherit- 
ance ;"  yet  He  died  first  and  went  to  heaven 
before  it  was  verified  to  Him  in  any  sense,  but 
only  of  content  and  desire,  and  joy  in  suffering, 
and  in  all  variety  of  accident.  And  thus  also  if 
we  are  meek,  we  may  receive  the  inheritance  of 
the  earth.  For  although  the  Christian  hears  the 
promise  of  "  the  inheritance  of  the  earth,"  yet 
he  must  place  his  eye,  and  fix  his  heart  upon 
heaven,  which  by  looking  downward  also  upon 
this  promise,  as  in  a  vessel  of  limpid  water,  he 
may  see  by  reflection,  without  looking  upwards 
by  a  direct  intuition.  It  is  heaven  that  is  de- 
signed by  this  promise,  as  well  as  by  any  of  the 
rest ;  though  this  grace  takes  in  also  the  refresh- 
ments of  the  earth  by  a  suppletory  design. 
"  Here  we  have  no  abiding  city,"  and  therefore 
no  inheritance;  this  is  not  our  country,  and 
therefore  here  cannot  be  our  portion,  unless  we 

22« 


258  FIFTH   MONDAY   IN   LENT. 

choose,  as  did  the  i3rodigal,  to  go  into  a  strange 
country,  and  spend  our  portion  with  riotous  liv- 
ing, and  forfeit  our  Father's  blessing. 

The  devil,  carrying  our  blessed  Saviour  to  a 
high  mountain,  showed  Him  all  the  kingdoms 
of  all  the  world;  but,  besides  that  they  were 
offered  upon  ill  conditions,  they  were  not  eligi- 
ble by  Him  upon  any.  And  neither  are  they 
to  be  chosen  by  us  for  our  inheritance  and  por- 
tion evangelical :  for  the  Gospel  is  founded  upon 
"  better  promises,"  and  therefore,  the  hopes  of 
a  Christian  ought  not  to  determine  upon  any- 
thing less  than  heaven.  And  as  a  man,  in  all 
countries,  can  see  more  of  heaven  than  of  the 
earth  he  dwells  on ;  so  also  he  may  in  this  prom- 
ise. For  now  is  revealed  to  us  "  a  new  heaven 
and  a  new  earth,  a  habitation  made  without 
hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens."  And  he  under- 
stands nothing  of  the  excellence  of  the  Christian 
religion,  whose  aff'ections  dwell  below,  and  are 
satisfied  with  a  portion  of  dirt  and  corruption. 
"  If  we  be  risen  with  Christ,  let  us  seek  those 
things  that  are  above,  where  Christ  sitteth  at 
the  right  hand  of  God.  But  if  a  Christian  de- 
sires to  take  possession  of  this  earth  in  his  way, 
as  his  inheritance,  or  portion,  he  hath  reason  to 
fear  it  will  be  his  all.  We  have  but  one  inherit- 
ance, one  country  ;  and  here  we  are  strangers 
and  pilgrims.  True  it  is,  Christ  promised  to 
him  that  should  lose  any  interest  for  His  sake, 


THE   THIRD   BEATITUDE.  259 

the  restitution  of  "  a  hundred-fold  in  this  work! ;" 
but  whatsoever  that  be,  it  is  to  be  enjoyed  "with 
^persecution." 

And,  although  when  a  meek  man  hath  earthly 
possessions,  by  his  grace  he  is  taught  to  use 
them,  and  how  to  part  with  them;  yet  if  he 
hath  them  not,  by  the  virtue  here  commanded, 
he  is  not  suffered  to  use  any  thing  violent  to- 
wards the  acquiring  them,  not  so  much  as  a 
violent  passion,  or  a  stormy  imagination,  for 
then  he  loses  his  meekness,  and  whatever  he 
gets  can  be  none  of  the  reward  of  this  grace. 
He  that  fights  for  temporals  (unless  by  some 
other  duty  he  be  obliged),  loses  his  title.  By 
striving  incompetently  for  the  reward,  he  cuts 
off  that  hand  by  which  alone  he  can  receive  it. 
For  unless  he  be  indeed  meek,  he  hath  no  right 
to  what  he  calls  "  the  inheritance  of  the  earth ;" 
and  he  that  is  not  content  to  want  the  inherit- 
ance of  the  earth  when  God  requires  him,  is  not 
meek. 

So  that  if  this  beatitude  be  understood  in  a 
temporal  sense,  it  is  an  offer  of  a  reward  upon  a 
condition  we  shall  be  without  it,  and  be  content 
too :  for,  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  meekness 
implies  a  just  satisfaction  of  the  spirit,  and 
acquiescence  in  every  estate  or  contingency 
whatsoever,  though  we  have  no  possessions  but 
of  a  good  conscience,  no  bread  but  that  of  care- 
fulness, no  support  but  from  the  Holy  Spirit, 


/ 
260  FIFTH   MONDAY   m   LEXT. 

and  a  providence  ministering  to  onr  natural 
necessities  by  an  extemporary  provision.  And 
certain  it  is,  the  meekest  of  Christ's  servants, 
the  Apostles  and  the  primitive  Christians,  had 
no  other  verification  of  the  promise  but  this, 
that  "rejoicing  in  tribulation,  and  knowing  how 
to  want,  as  well  as  how  to  abound,  through 
many  tribulations  they  entered  into  the  king- 
dom of  heaven." 


PRATEE. 

O  Holy  and  most  Merciful  Saviour,  who  didst 
triumph  over  sin  and  death ;  subdue  also  I  be- 
seech Thee  the  pride  of  my  heart,  and  bring 
me  under  thy  yoke ;  that  I  may  in  all  things 
obey  Thy  laws.  Teach  me  to  submit  myself  to 
my  superiors,  and  to  be  a  servant  of  my  brethren 
in  their  necessities,  esteeming  myself  inferior  to 
all  men  by  a  deep  sense  of  my  own  unworthi- 
ness ;  and  grant  that  having  conformed  to  Thy 
example  here,  I  may  be  admitted  to  thy  glori- 
ous inheritance  hereafter,  O  Holy  and  Eternal 
Saviour.     Amen. 


FIFTH  TUESDAY  IN  LE]^T. 

THE  FOURTH  BEATITUDE. 

"Blessed  are  they  which  do  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteous- 
ness :  for  they  shall  be  filled."    Matt.  v.  6. 

"Blessed  are  tliey  that  hunger  and  thirst 
after  righteousness:  for  they  shall  be  filled." 
This  grace  is  the  greatest  indication  of  spiritual 
health ;  when  our  appetite  is  right,  strong,  and 
regular,  when  we  are  desirous  of  spiritual  nour- 
ishment, when  we  long  for  manna,  and  "  follow 
Christ  for  the  bread  which  came  down  from 
heaven."  ]^ow  there  are  two  sorts  of  holy  re- 
past which  are  the  proper  objects  of  our  desires: 
the  redemption  and  pardon  of  us  by  Christ's 
merits  is  the  bread  of  life  for  which  we  must 
hunger ;  and  the  refreshment  of  the  Spirit,  who 
is  the  spring  and  comfort  of  purity,  is  that  drink 
which  we  must  thirst  after.  Some,  to  hunger 
and  thirst,  best  fancy  the  analogy  and  2:>roportion 
of  the  two  sacraments,  the  waters  of  baptism 
and  the  food  of  the  eucharist ;  some  the  bread 
of  the  patin  and  the  wine  of  the  chalice.  But 
it  is  certain  they  signify  one  desire,  expressed 
by  the  most  impatient   and  necessary  of  our 


262  FIFTH   TUESDAY   m   LENT. 

appetites,  liungering  and  tliirsting.  And  the 
object  is,  whatsoever  is  the  beginning  or  the 
way,  or  the  end  of  righteousness,  that  is,  the 
mercies  of  God,  the  pardon  of  Jesus,  the  graces 
of  the  Spirit,  a  holy  life,  a  holy  death,  and  a 
blessed  eternity. 

If,  therefore,  we  understand  our  danger,  and 
deeply  resent  the  evil  of  our  infirmities  and 
sinful  state ;  if  we  confess  ourselves  miserable, 
and  long  for  remedy,  and  would  have  it  upon 
any  terms ;  if  we  be  hungry  at  our  very  heart, 
and  would  fain  have  food  and  physic,  health 
and  spiritual  advantages,  then  we  shall  perceive 
the  blessings  and  fruits  of  our  holy  desires  ac- 
cording to  those  words  of  David :  "  The  Lord 
hath  heard  the  desire  of  the  poor,  and  His 
ear  hath  hearkened  to  the  preparation  of  their 
heart." 

"  Come  unto  Me  all  ye  that  are  weary  and 
heavy-laden,"  saith  Christ.  These  are  the  wel- 
come guests,  for  so  saith  God,  "  Open  thy  mouth 
wide  and  I  will  fill  it."  For  "He  hath  filled 
the  hungry  with  good  things,"  said  the  holy 
Yirgin  Mother ;  Christ  is  food  and  refreshment 
to  none  else,  for  "  the  full  He  hath  sent  empty 
away." 

Now  let  us,  by  the  aids  of  memory  and  fancy, 
consider  the  children  of  Israel  in  the  wilderness, 
in  a  barren  and  dry  land  where  no  water  was, 
marching  in  dust  and  fire,  not  wet  with  the  dew 


THE   FOURTH   BEATITUDE.  263 

of  heaven  ;  their  whole  state  of  abode  and  travel 
a  little  image  of  the  day  of  judgment  when  the 
elements  shall  melt  with  fervent  heat. 

Tliese  men,  walking  in  fire,  dry  with  heat, 
and  scorched  with  thirst,  and  made  yet  more 
thirsty  by  calling  upon  God  for  water;  sup- 
pose, I  say,  these  thirsty  souls  hearing  Moses 
to  promise  that  he  will  smite  the  rock,  and  that 
a  river  should  break  forth  from  thence :  observe 
how  presently  they  ran  to  the  foot  of  the  spring- 
ing-stone,  impatient  of  delay,  crying  out  that 
"  the  water  did  not  move,  like  light,  all  at 
once :"  and  then  suppose  the  pleasure  of  their 
drink,  the  unsatiableness  of  their  desire,  the  im- 
mensity of  their  appetite — they  took  in  as  much 
as  they  could,  and  they  desired  much  more. 

That  thirst  is  a  signification  of  our  duty ;  and 
happy  indeed  is  that  soul  which  comes  to  the 
springs  of  salvation,  "  as  the  hart  to  the  water- 
brook,"  panting  and  thirsty,  weary  of  sin,  and 
hating  vanity,  and  reaching  out  the  heart  and 
hands  to  Christ.  For  they  only  can  be  confident 
that  their  desires  are  right,  who  feel  sharpnesses 
and  zeal  in  their  acts  of  love.  For  in  every 
action  of  religion,  God  expects  such  a  warmth 
and  a  holy  fire  to  go  along,  that  it  may  be  able 
to  enkindle  the  wood  upon  the  altar,  and  con- 
sume the  sacrifice.  Earnestness  and  vivacity, 
quickness  and  delight,  perfect  choice  in  the  ser- 
vice and  a  delight  in  the  prosecution,  are  all 


/ 
264  FIFTH   TUESDAY   IN   LENT. 

tliat  the  spirit  of  a  man  can  yield  towards  his 
religion ;  and  though  a  lukewarm  religion  is 
better  than  none  at  all — and  if  it  be  in  motion, 
God  hates  it  not  for  its  imperfection ;  yet  if  it 
stands  still  and  rests  there,  it  is  a  state  against 
the  designs  and  against  the  perfection's  of  God. 

Whatsoever  evil  returns  we  meet  in  our  pray- 
ers, when  we  ask  for  good  things,  is  wholly  by 
reason  of  our  cold  desires.  K  our  desires  were 
strong  and  fervent,  our  minds  would  in  the  same 
proportion  be  present.  We  see  it  by  a  certain 
and  regular  experience ;  wdiat  we  love  passion- 
ately, we  perpetually  think  on,  and  it  returns 
upon  us,  whether  we  will  or  no.  And  in  a 
great  fear,  the  apprehension  cannot  be  shaken 
off;  and  therefore  if  our  desires  of  holy  things 
were  strong  and  earnest,  we  should  most  cer- 
tainly attend  our  pra^^^ers.  It  is  a  more  violent 
affection  to  other  tilings,  that  carries  us  off  from 
this ;  and  therefore  if  we  love  passionately,  what 
we  ask  for  daily,  w^e  should  ask  with  hearty 
desires,  and  an  earnest  appetite,  and  a  present 
spirit.  And  however  it  be  very  easy  to  have 
our  thoughts  wander,  yet  it  is  our  indifference 
and  lukewarmness  that  make  it  so  natural :  and 
you  may  observe  it,  that  so  long  as  the  light 
shines  bright,  and  the  fires  of  devotion  and  de- 
sires flame  out,  so  long  the  mind  of  a  man  stands 
close  to  the  altar,  and  waits  upon  the  sacrifice ; 
but  as  the  fires  die,  and  desires  decay,  so  the 


THE   FOURTH   BEATITUDE.  265 

mind  steals  away,  and  walks  abroad  to  see  the 
little  images  of  beauty  and  pleasure,  which  it 
beholds  in  the  falling  stars  and  little  glowworms 
of  the  world. 

There  is,  however,  in  this  case,  one  help  to 
our  confidence.  For  although  no  man  is  fer- 
vent as  he  ought  to  be,  but  he  that  delights  in 
the  service  of  God,  yet  this  delight  is  not  to  be 
understood  as  if  it  were  always  required  that 
we  should  feel  an  actual  cheerfulness,  and  sen- 
sible joy.  This  happens  sometimes  when  God 
pleases  to  entice,  or  reward  a  man's  spirit,  with 
little  antepasts  of  Heaven ;  but  such  a  delight 
only  is  necessary,  and  a  duty,  that  we  always 
proceed  in  the  work  of  grace  with  a  firm  choice 
and  unabated  election ;  our  joy  must  be  a  joy 
of  hope ;  that  is,  a  going  forward  upon  such  a 
persuasion,  as  sees  the  joys  of  God  laid  up  for 
the  children  of  men. 

For  the  blessing  and  reward  of  this  grace  is 
fulness  or  satisfaction ;  which  relates  immedi- 
ately to  Heaven,  because  nothing  here  below 
can  satisfy  us.  The  grace  of  God  is  our  viati- 
cum, and  entertains  us  by  the  way ;  but  its  na- 
ture is  to  increase,  not  to  satisfy  the  appetites ; 
not  because  the  grace  is  empty  and  unprofitable 
as  are  the  things  of  the  world,  but  because  it  is 
excellent,  but  yet  in  order  to  greater  perfection. 
It  invites  the  appetite  by  its  present  goodness, 
but  it  leaves  it  unsatisfied,  because  it  is  not  yet 


266  FIFTH  TUESDAY  IN   LENT. 

arrived  at  glorj.  And  jet  the  present  impel 
fection  in  respect  of  all  the  good  of  this  world's 
possession  is  rest  and  satisfaction,  and  is  imper- 
fect only  in  respect  of  its  future  complement 
and  perfection ;  and  our  hunger  continues,  and 
our  needs  return,  because  all  we  have  is  but  an 
antepast.  But  the  glories  of  eternity  are  also 
the  proper  objects  of  our  desires :  that  is  the 
reward  of  God's  grace ;  this  is  "  the  crown  of 
righteousness." 

"  As  for  me,  I  will  behold  Thy  face  in  right- 
eousness ;  and  after  I  awake  up  after  Thy  like- 
ness, I  shall  be  satisfied  with  it." 


PRAYER. 

O  Lord  God  of  our  fathers,  who  leddest  Thy 
people  through  the  w^ilderness,  for  their  sakes 
turning  rocks  into  a  springing  well,  and  making 
the  sea  and  the  river  to  become  dry  land ;  be 
pleased  to  lead  me  through  the  desert  of  this 
world  with  the  light  of  Thy  Holy  SjDirit :  and 
from  the  rock,  which  for  our  sakes  Thou  didst 
smite  with  Thy  heavy  rod — the  rock  Christ 
Jesus — let  water  and  blood  stream  forth  to 
cleanse  and  refresh  me.  Streno^then  me  with 
the  bread  that  came  down  from  heaven,  even 
the  flesh  of  Thy  dear  Son  ;  and  grant  that,  being 
nourished  by  that  heavenly  food,  I  may  stead- 
fastly walk  in  the  wav  of  Thv  commandments ; 


THE   FOURTH   BEATITin)E.  267 

and  when,  through  infirmity,  I  fall  away,  let 
Thy  gentle  correction  call  me  home,  and  guide 
me  to  the  border  of  Thy  sanctuary,  and  the 
mountain  where  Thou  reignest  over  all  crea- 
tures, one  God,  world  without  end.     Amen. 


SIXTH  WEDI^ESDAT  m  LE]^[T. 

THE  FIFTH  BEATITUDE. 

"  Blessed  are  the  merciful:  for  they  Bhall  obtain  mercy." 
Matt.  v.  7. 

"Blessed  are  tlie  merciful:  for  tliej  shall 
obtain  mercy."  Mercy  is  the  greatest  mark 
and  token  of  the  holy  and  elect  persons  in  the 
world.  "Put  ye  on,  my  beloved,  as  the  elect  of 
God,  the  bowels  of  mercy,  holy  and  precious." 
For  mercy  is  an  attribute,  in  the  manifestation 
of  which,  as  all  our  happiness  consists,  so  God 
takes  greatest  complacency  and  delights  in  it 
above  all  His  other  works.  "He  punishes  to 
the  third  and  fourth  generations,  but  shows 
mercy  unto  thousands."  Therefore  the  Jews 
say,  that  Michael  flies  with  one  wing  and  Ga- 
briel with  two :  meaning,  that  the  pacifying 
angel,  the  minister  of  mercy,  flies  swift ;  but  the 
exterminating  angel,  the  messenger  of  wratli, 
IS  slow.  And  we  are  called  to  our  approxima- 
tion to  God  by  the  practice  of  this  grace :  we 
are  made  "partakers  of  the  Divine  nature,"  by 
being  "merciful  as  our  heavenly  Father  is 
merciful." 


THE   FIFTH    BEATnUDE.  269 

The  Stoic  pliilosopliers  affirm  it  to  be  the 
duty  of  a  wise  man  to  succor  and  help  the 
necessities  of  indigent  and  miserable  persons ; 
but  at  no  hand  to  pity  them,  or  suffer  any 
trouble  or  compassion  in  our  affections :  for 
they  intended  that  a  wise  person  should  be  dis- 
passionate, unmoved,  and  without  disturbance 
in  every  accident  and  object  and  concernment. 
But  the  Blessed  Jesus,  who  came  to  reconcile 
us  to  His  Fathei",  and  purchase  us  an  entire 
possession,  did  intend  to  redeem  us  from  sin,  and 
make  our  passions  obedient  and  apt  to  be  com- 
manded, even  and  moderate  in  temporal  affairs, 
but  high  and  active  in  some  instances  of  spirit- 
ual concernment ;  and  in  all  instances  that  the 
Spirit  go  along  with  the  grace :  that  we  must 
be  as  merciful  in  our  compassions,  as  compas- 
sionate in  our  exterior  expressions  and  actions. 

Christian  mercy  must  be  a  mercy  of  the  whole 
man — the  heart  must  be  merciful,  and  the  hand 
operating  in  "  the  labor  of  love  ;"  and  it  must 
be  extended  to  all  persons  of  all  capacities, 
according  as  their  necessity  requires,  and  our 
ability  permits,  and  our  endearments  and  other 
obligations  dispose  of,  and  determine  the  order. 
Clemens  Alexandrinus  affirms  of  the  Pharisees, 
that  they  hoped  to  be  "justified  by  abstinence 
from  things  forbidden  ;"  but  if  we  will  be  "  sons 
of  the  kingdom,"  we  must,  besides  this,  love  our 
brother  and  do  good  to  him ;  and  glorify  God 

23^' 


270  SIXTH   WEDNESDAY   IN   LENT. 

by  a  holy  religion,  in  the  communion  of  saints, 
in  faith  and  sacraments,  in  alms  and  counsel, 
in  forgiveness  and  assistances.  Many  persons 
think  themselves  fairly  assoiled,  because  they 
are  not  of  scandalous  lives ;  in  the  mean  time, 
like  the  Laodiceans,  they  are  "  naked  and  poor ;" 
they  have  no  catalogue  of  good  things  regis- 
tered in  heaven,  no  treasures  in  the  repositories 
of  the  poor ;  neither  have  the  poor  often  prayed 
concerning  them,  "  Lord,  remember  Thy  ser- 
vants for  this  thing  at  the  day  of  judgment." 
God,  who  made  all  things  by  His  power,  does 
preserve  them  by  His  love ;  but  although  it  be 
true,  that  God  loves  us  first.  He  will  not  con- 
tinue to  love  us,  or  proceed  in  the  methods  of 
His  kindness,  unless  we  become  like  unto  Him 
in  love.  By  our  love  and  charity  God  will 
pardon  us,  and  He  will  comfort  us,  and  He  will 
judge  us,  and  He  will  save  us  ;  and  it  can  never 
be  well  with  us  till  love,  that  governs  Heaven 
itself,  be  the  prince  of  all  our  actions  and  our 
passions.  "  By  this  we  know  we  are  translated 
from  death  to  life,  by  our  love  unto  our  breth- 
ren ;"  that  is  the  testimonial  of  our  comfort. 
"  I  was  hungry,  and  ye  fed  me ;  I  was  hungry, 
and  ye  fed  me  not :"  these  are  the  tables  of  our 
final  judgment.  "  If  ye  love  Me,  keep  My  com- 
mandments ;"  that  is  the  measure  of  our  obe- 
dience. '*  In  that  ye  have  done  kindness  to 
one  of  these  little  ones,  ye  have  done  it  unto 


THE   FIFTH   BEATITIIDE.  271 

Me :"  that  is  the  installing  of  the  saints  in  their 
thrones  of  glorj.  "  If  thou  bringest  a  gift  to 
the  altar,  leave  it  there ;  go  and  be  reconciled 
to  thy  brother :"  that  is  the  great  instrument 
of  our  _being  accepted.  And  to  sum  up  all, 
"  Love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law." 

I  do  not  examine  this  duty  by  our  alms 
alone ;  for  although  they  are  an  excellent  in- 
strument of  life,  yet  there  are  some  who  are 
bountiful  to  the  poor,  and  not  charitable  to 
their  neighbor ;  and  many  keep  a  sin  alive, 
and  make  account  to  pay  for  it.  They  will  not 
be  kind  to  their  brethren,  unless  they  be  also 
at  the  same  time  unkind  to  God.  I  have  un- 
derstood concerning  divers  vicious  persons,  that 
none  have  been  so  free  in  their  donatives  and 
ofierings  to  religion  and  the  priest  as  they :  and 
the  hospitals  that  have  been  built,  and  the 
highways  mended,  at  the  price  of  souls,  are  too 
many  for  Christendom  to  boast  of,  in  behalf  of 
charity.  But  as  others  have  charity  without 
faith,  so  these  have  charity  without  hope  :  "  For 
every  one  that  hath  this  hope,"  that  is,  the  hope 
of  receiving  the  glorious  things  of  God  j^rom- 
ised  in  the  Gospel,  "purifies  himself  even  as 
God  is  pure." 

You  can  best  tell  whether  you  have  charity 
to  your  brother  by  your  willingness  to  do  him 
real  benefit.  There  is  no  greater  charity  in 
the  world  than  to   save   a  soul,  nothing  that 


272  SIXTH   WEDNESDAY   IN   LENT. 

pleases  God  better,  nothing  that  can  be  in  our 
hands  greater  or  more  noble,  nothing  that  can 
be  a  more  lasting  and  delightful  honor,  than 
that  a  perishing  soul, — snatched  from  the  flames 
of  an  intolerable  hell,  and  borne  to  Heaven 
upon  the  wings  of  piety  and  mercy,  by  the 
ministry  of  angels,  and  the  graces  of  the  Holy 
Spirit, — shall  to  eternal  ages  bless  God  and  bless 
thee ;  Him,  for  the  Author  and  Finisher  of  sal- 
vation, and  thee  for  the  minister  and  charitable 
instrument.  That  bright  star  must  needs  look 
pleasantly  upon  thy  face  forever,  which  was  by 
thy  hand  placed  there,  and,  had  it  not  been  for 
thy  ministry,  might  have  been  a  sooty  coal  in 
the  regions  of  sorrow.  IN'ow,  in  order  to  this, 
God  hath  given  us  all  some  powers  and  minis- 
ters by  which  we  may  promote  religion  and 
the  great  interest  of  souls — counsels  and  pray- 
ers, preaching  and  writing,  passionate  desires 
and  fair  examples,  going  before  others  in  the 
way  of  godliness,  and  bearing  the  torch  before 
them,  that  they  may  see  the  way  and  walk  in  it. 
Tliis  is  a  charity  that  is  prepared  more  or  less 
for  every  one ;  and,  by  the  way,  we  should  do 
well  to  consider  what  we  have  done  towards  it. 
For  as  it  will  be  a  strange  arrest  at  the  day  of 
judgment  to  Dives,  that  he  fed  high  and  suffered 
Lazarus  to  starve,  and  every  garment  that  lies 
by  thee  and  perishes,  while  thy  naked  brother 
does  so  too  for  want  of  it,  shall  be  a  bill  of  in- 


THE   FIFTH   BEATITUDE.  273 

dictment  against  thy  unmerciful  soul ;  so  it  will 
be  in  every  instance.  In  wliat  thou  couldst 
profit  thy  brother  and  didst  not,  thou  art  ac- 
countable. And  then  tell  over  the  times  in 
which  thou  hast  prayed  for  the  conversion  of 
thy  sinning  brother;  and  compare  the  times 
together,  and  observe  whether  thou  hast  not 
tempted  him,  or  betrayed  him  to  sin,  or  en- 
couraged him  in  it;  or  didst  not  hinder  him 
when  thou  mightest ;  or — more  frequently  than 
thou  hast — ^humbly,  and  charitably,  and  zeal- 
ously bowed  thy  head,  and  thy  heart  and  knees 
to  God  to  redeem  that  poor  soul  from  hell, 
whither  thou  seest  him  descending  with  as  much 
indifference  as  a  stone  into  the  bottom  of  the 
well.  Remember  the  zeal  of  the  Apostles. 
They  prayed  for  all  men ;  they  wept  to  God  for 
the  hardness  of  men's  hearts ;  they  became  all 
things  to  all  men  that  they  might  gain  some ; 
they  travelled  through  deeps  and  deserts ;  they 
endured  the  heat  of  the  Sirian  star,  and  the 
violence  of  Euroclydon,  winds  and  tempests, 
seas  and  prisons,  mockings  and  scourgings,  fast- 
ings and  poverty,  labor  and  watching ;  they 
endured  every  man  and  wronged  no  man  ;  they 
would  do  any  thing  good  and  suffer  any  evil,  if 
they  had  but  hopes  to  prevail  upon  a  soul ;  they 
persuaded  men  meekly,  they  entreated  them 
humbly,  they  convinced  them  powerfully ;  they 
watched  for  their  good,  but  meddled  not  with 


274  SIXTH   WEDXESDAY   IN   LENT. 

their  interest ;  and  this  is  the  Christian  zeal  of 
meekness,  of  patience,  of  charity. 

The  merciful  shall  obtain  mercy ;  mercy  to 
help  them  in  time  of  need ;  mercy  from  God, 
who  will  not  only  give  them  the  great  mercies 
of  pardon  and  eternity,  but  also  dispose  the 
hearts  of  others  to  pity  and  supply  their  needs, 
as  they  have  done  to  others.  For  the  present, 
there  is  nothing  more  noble  than  to  be  bene- 
ficial to  others,  and  to  "  lift  up  the  poor  out  of 
the  mire,"  and  rescue  them  from  misery;  it  is 
to  do  the  work  of  God.  And  for  the  future, 
nothing  is  a  greater  title  to  a  mercy,  at  the  day 
of  judgment,  than  to  have  shown  mercy  to  our 
necessitous  brother  ;  it  being  expressed  to  be  the 
only  rule  and  instance  in  which  Christ  means  to 
judge  the  world,  in  their  mercy  and  charity,  or 
their  unmercifulness  respectively :  "  I  was  him- 
gry  and  ye  fed  Me,"  or  ye  fed  Me  not ;  and  so 
we  stand  or  fall  in  the  great  and  eternal  scrutiny. 
And  it  was  the  prayer  of  St.  Paul  (Onesiphorus 
showed  kindness  to  the  great  Apostle),  "The 
Lord  show  him  a  mercy  in  that  day." 

For  a  cup  of  charity,  though  but  full  "  of  cold 
water,  shall  not  lose  its  reward." 

PKATEE. 

O  Blessed  Saviour,  Redeemer  of  the  world, 
whose  property  is  always  to  have  mercy ;  make 


THE   FIFTH   BEATITUDE.  275 

me,  I  beseech  Thee,  Thy  servant,  and  give  me 
testimony  that  I  am  translated  from  death  to 
life,  by  charity  and  love  to  all  my  brethren. 
Teacli  me  to  have  a  care  of  my  actions  that  I 
may  eschew  evil,  and  a  zeal  of  Thy  name  that  I 
may  do  good.  Make  me  pitiful  and  compas- 
sionate over  the  necessities  of  the  poor,  the  sin- 
ful, and  the  needy ;  and  give  me  grace  and 
power  to  help  them  and  relieve  their  miseries  ; 
so  that,  being  merciful  as  my  heavenly  Father 
is  merciful,  I  may  receive  such  blessings  as 
Thou  hast  appointed  for  the  charitable,  even 
comfort  in  all*  my  troubles,  and  pardon  of  all 
my  sins,  through  Thy  mercies  and  blessed  char- 
ity, O  most  merciful  Saviour  and  Kedeemer, 
Jesus  Christ.     Amen. 


SIXTH  THUESDAY  m  LEKT. 

THE  SIXTH  BEATITUDE. 

"  Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart :  for  they  shall  see  God." 
Matt.  v.  8. 

"  Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart :  for  they  shall 
see  God."  This  purity  of  heart  includes  purity 
of  hands  ;  "  Lord,  who  shall  dwell  in  Thy  taber- 
nacle ?  even  he  that  is  of  clean  hands  and  a  pure 
heart ;"  that  is,  he  that  hath  not  given  his  mind 
unto  vanity,  nor  sworn  to  deceive  his  neighbor. 
It  signifies  justice  of  action  and  candor  of  spirit, 
innocence  of  manners  and  sincerity  of  purpose ; 
a  heart  free  from  all  carnal  affections,  not  only 
in  the  matter  of  natural  impurity,  but  also  spirit- 
ual and  immaterial : — such  as  are  heresies,  which 
are  therefore  impurities,  because  they  mingle 
secular  interest  or  prejudice  with  persuasions  in 
religion ; — "  a  good  conscience,"  that  is,  a  con- 
science either  innocent  or  penitent ;  and  "  faith 
unfeigned,"  which  excludes  hypocrisy,  timorous 
and  half  persuasions,  neutrality  and  indifferency 
in  matters  of  salvation.  Chastity  is  the  j)urity 
of  the  body — simplicity  is  the  purity  of  the 
spirit ;  both  are  the  sanctification  of  the  whole 


THE    SIXTH   BEATITUDE.  277 

mail,  for  the  entertainment  of  the  spirit  of  purity 
and  the  spirit  of  truth. 

When  the  heathen  offered  a  sacrifice  to  their 
false  gods,  they  would  make  a  severe  search  to 
see  if  there  were  any  crookedness  or  spot,  any 
uncleanliness  or  deformity  in  their  sacrifice. 
And  in  like  manner  we  must  bring  to  God  a 
soul  pure  and  spotless  ;  lest  God,  espying  a  soul 
humbly  lying  before  the  altar,  and  finding  it  to 
be  polluted  with  the  reproaches  of  a  sin,  He 
turns  away  His  head,  and  hates  the  sacrifice. 
For  God — who  taught  the  sons  of  Israel  in 
figures  and  shadows,  and  required  of  the  Leviti- 
cal  priests  to  come  to  God  clean  and  whole, 
straight,  and  with  perfect  bodies — meant  to  tell 
us,  that  this  bodily  precept,  in  a  carnal  law,  does 
in  a  spiritual  religion  signify  a  sj)iritual  purity. 
God  is  never  called  a  lover  of  bodies,  but  the 
great  lover  of  souls ;  and  he  that  comes  to  re- 
deem our  souls  from  sin  and  death,  from  shame 
and  reproach,  would  have  our  souls  brought  to 
Him  as  He  loves  them.  An  unclean  soul  is  a 
deformity  in  the  eyes  of  God  ;  it  is  indeed  spirit- 
ually discerned,  but  God  hath  no  other  eyes  but 
what  are  spirits  and  flames  of  fire. 

There  are  indeed,  in  this  valley  of  tears,  but 
few  so  happy  souls  as  to  triumph  over  all  in- 
firmities— we  know  of  none ;  and  if  God  hath 
any  such  on  earth,  they  are  peculiar  jewels, 
kept  in  undiscerned  cabinets;  yet  all  that  in- 
24 


278  SIXTH   THURSDAY   IN   LENT. 

tend  to  serve  God  heartily  must  aim  at  a  return 
to  that  state  of  innocence,  to  the  possibility  of 
which  Christ  hath  as  certainly  recovered  us,  as 
we  lost  it  by  our  own  follies  and  the  sin  of 
Adam. 

In  the  matters  of  choice,  in  voluntary  and  de- 
liberate actions,  we  must  resolve  not  to  sin  at 
all.  In  these  things  we  must  be  more  than  con- 
querors. But  he  that  would  be  advanced  beyond 
the  power  and  necessity  of  sinning,  must  also 
take  great  caution  concerning  his  thoughts  and 
secret  desires.  "  Suffer  not  your  thoughts  to 
grow  up,"  for  they  usually  come,  as  St.  Basil 
says,  "  suddenly  and  easily,  and  without  busi- 
ness ;"  but  take  heed  that  you  nurse  them  not. 
Consider,  that  when  sin  is  in  the  thought,  it  is 
easily  suppressed,  and  if  it  be  stopped  there,  it 
can  go  no  further ;  and  what  great  mountain  of 
labor  is  it,  then,  to  abstain  from  our  sin  ?  Can- 
not the  thoughts  of  the  heart  be  turned  aside  by 
doing  business,  by  going  into  company,  by  read- 
ing, or  by  sleeping?  A  man  may  divert  his 
thoughts  by  shaking  of  his  head,  by  thinking 
any  thing  else,  by  thinking  nothing.  Every 
man  that  loves  God  understands  this,  and  more 
than  this,  to  be  true  ;  and  he  that  will  not  chas- 
tise his  thoughts  to  please  God,  how  should  it 
be  expected  he  will  part  with  his  goods,  or  cut 
off  a  hand,  or  give  his  life  for  God?  Christian- 
itv,  let  us  remember,  is  not  so  much  a  Divine 


THE    SIXTH   BEATITUDE.  279 

institution  as  a  Divine  temper  and  frame  ot 
mind,  and  a  man's  heart  may  be  in  heaven  long 
before  he  sets  his  feet  upon  the  goklen  threshold. 

The  powers  of  sin  seem  insuperable  to  none 
but  to  them  that  have  not  faith.  Hear  what 
St.  John  saith :  "  My  little  children,  ye  are  of 
God,  and  have  overcome  the  evil  one ;  for  the 
Spirit  that  is  in  you  is  greater  than  that  which 
is  in  the  world."  Christ's  strength  shall  be 
perfected  in  our  weakness,  and  His  grace  will 
be  sufficient  for  us ;  and  He  will,  of  His  own 
good  pleasure,  work  in  us  to  will  and  to  do 
thoroughly  and  fully,  being  sanctified  through- 
out to  the  glory  of  His  Holy  i^ame,  and  the 
eternal  salvation  of  our  souls. 

For  a  freedom  from  the  cares  of  covetousness, 
the  shame  of  uncleanness,  the  fear  of  discovery, 
and  the  stings  of  an  evil  conscience,  which  are 
the  portions  of  the  several  impurities  forbidden 
by  this  grace,  will  at  leftgth  consign  us  to  the 
reward  of  purity,  the  vision  beatifical. 

If  we  are  "  pure  as  God  is  pure,  we  shall" 
also  "see  Him  as  He  is."  "When  we  awake 
up  after  His  likeness  we  shall  behold  His  pres- 
ence." There  shall  we  see  God  as  He  is,  with 
all  His  infinite  perfections,  and  the  perfections 
of  all  creatures  which  are  eminently  contained 
in  the  Deity. 

How  admirable  were  that  spectacle,  where 
were  represented  all  that  are,  or  have   been, 


280  SIXTH   THURSDAY    IN   LENT. 

pleasant  or  admirable  in  the  world !  and  how 
happy  were  he  on  whom  all  these  were  be- 
stowed, together  with  a  thousand  years  of  life, 
wherein  to  enjoy  them :  yet  all  these  were 
nothing  in  respect  of  the  beatifical  vision  of 
God,  in  whom  those,  and  all  the  perfections 
that  either  are  or  have  been,  or  possibly  can 
be,  are  contained.  "Whatever  else  is  great  and 
delightful  in  tlie  world,  together  with  all  the 
pleasure  and  perfections  that  all  the  men  of  the 
world  have  obtained,  or  shall  obtain,  to  the 
world's  end,  if  they  should  give  all  these  to  one 
person,  it  would  have  no  comparison,  and  would 
seem  a  loathsome  thing,  being  compared  to  the 
delight  which  will  be  enjoyed  in  seeing  God  for 
all  eternity.  Griefs  do  more  easily  bereave  us 
of  the  sense  of  pleasures  than  pleasures  do  of 
pain  ;  yet  such  is  the  greatness  of  that  sovereign 
joy  in  Heaven,  that  it  alone  is  sufiicient  to 
drown  all  the  grief  and  torments,  both  in  earth 
and  hell;  and  there  is  no  pain  in  the  world 
able  to  diminish  the  least  part  of  it. 

Let  us,  therefore,  rejoice,  who  are  Christians, 
unto  whom  so  great  blessings  are  promised. 
Let  this  hope  comfort  us,  this  joy  refresh  us ; 
and  let  us  now  begin  to  enjoy  that  here  which 
we  trust  hereafter  to  possess ;  for  upon  this  we 
ought  to  place  all  our  thoughts,  turning  our 
eyes  from  all  the  goods  and  delights  of  the 
earth.     From  hence  I  will  shut  up  the  windows 


THTi:   SIXTH   BEATITUDE.  281 

of  my  senses ;  the  things  of  earth  seeming  unto 
me  unworthy  to  be  looked  upon  after  the  con- 
temj)hation  of  the  heavenly,  in  the  hope  whereof 
I  will  only  rejoice. 

PKAYEE. 

Almighty  God,  Holy  and  Eternal  Father,  who 
art  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  iniquity ;  look 
with  pity  upon  Thy  servant,  and  grant  that  no 
impure  thoughts  may  pollute  the  soul  which 
Thou  hast  sanctified ;  no  unclean  words  pollute 
the  tongue  which  Thou  hast  formed  to  sing  Thy 
praise.  Seal  up  my  senses  from  all  vain  objects, 
occupy  them  wholly  with  religion,  and  enable 
me  so  to  possess  my  body  in  holiness,  that  I 
may  lay  it  down  with  hope,  and  receive  it  again 
in  a  joyful  resurrection,  through  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord.     Amen. 

24-'- 


SIXTH  FKIDAY  m  LENT. 

THE  SEVENTH  BEATITUDE. 

"  Blessed  are  the  peacemakers  :  for  they  shall  be  called  the 
children  of  God."    Matt.  v.  9. 

"  Blessed  are  the  peacemakers :  for  tliey  shall 
be  called  the  children  of  God."  The  wisdom  of 
God  is  first  pm*e,  and  then  peaceable ;  that  is 
the  order  of  the  beatitudes.  As  soon  as  Jesus 
was  born,  the  angels  sang  a  hymn :  "  Glory  be 
to  God  on  high,  and  on  earth  peace,  good-will 
towards  men  ;"  signifying  the  two  great  errands 
upon  which  Christ  was  dispatched  in  his  lega- 
tion from  heaven  to  earth.  He  is  "  the  Prince 
of  Peace."  "  Follow  peace  with  all  men,  with- 
out which  no  man  ever  shall  see  God." 

The  reward  is  no  less  than  the  adoption  and 
inheritance  of  sons.  For  the  sons  of  peace  are 
the  sons  of  God,  and  have  a  title  to  the  inherit- 
ance of  sons ;  to  be  heirs  with  God,  and  co-heirs 
with  Christ  in  the  kingdom  of  peace,  and  essen- 
tial and  never-failing  charity. 

If,  therefore,  we  live  quietly  and  serenely  in 
our  families  and  neighborhood ;  if  we  endeavor 
by  all  means  to  reconcile  disagreeing  persons, 


THE    SEVENTH   BEATITUDE.  283 

and  by  afFabilitj  and  fair  deportment  to  win  the 
love  of  our  neighbors ;  if,  in  trials  of  right,  we 
try  to  find  out  the  most  charitable  expedient  to 
determine  it ;  if  we  are  free  and  ingenuous  in 
reprehensions  and  fair  expostulations  with  per-* 
sons  who  we  conceive  have  wronged  us ;  if  we 
are  modest  in  our  arguings,  disputings,  and  de- 
mands; if  we  abstain  from  affronts,  submit  to 
our  superiors,  speak  not  evil  of  dignities,  nor  un- 
dervalue their  persons,  nor  publish  their  faults  ; 
and  are  careful  not  to  busy  ourselves  in  other 
men's  affairs ;  then  "  the  peace  of  God  will  rest 
upon  us." 

Whatsoever  does  gender  strife,  the  Apostle 
commands  us  to  avoid ;  even  zeal,  therefore, 
must  be  modified  by  the  rules  of  prudence  and 
the  allay  of  charity,  that  we  quarrel  not  for 
opinions,  nor  lose  charity  for  a  pretence  of  an 
article  of  faith.  Be  more  careful  to  establish  a 
truth  than  to  reprove  an  error,  and  remember 
that  Christian  religion  loves  not  tricks  nor  arti- 
fices of  wonder ;  but,  like  the  natural  and  amia- 
ble simplicity  of  Jesus,  by  plain  and  easy  propo- 
sitions, leads  us  in  wise  paths  to  a  place  where 
sin  and  strife  shall  never  enter:  while  contro- 
versy is  the  food  of  contention,  a  spiritual  law- 
suit, and  it  can  never  be  ended.  For  as  long  as 
a  word  can  be  spoken  against  a  word,  and  a 
thing  be  opposite  to  a  thing ;  as  long  as  places 
are  hard  and  men  are  ignorant,  or  knowing  but 


284:  SIXTH   FKIDAY    IN   LENT. 

in  part,  so  long  will  the  saw  of  contention  be 
drawn  from  side  to  side.  "  The  kingdom  of  God 
consists  in  wisdom  and  righteousness,  in  peace 
and  holiness,  in  meekness  and  gentleness,  in  ab- 
stinence from  evil  and  doing  good  to  others  ;"  in 
these  things  let  ns  place  our  labors,  and  nothing 
else  but  such  as  these ; — things  which  promote 
public  peace  and  public  good :  things  that  can 
give  no  offence  to  the  wise  and  to  the  virtuous  * 
for  these  things  are  profitable  to  men  and  pleas- 
ing to  God.  J^either  let  us  trouble  ourselves 
that  all  the  world  is  not  amended  according  to 
our  pattern.  See  that  you  be  perfect  at  home, 
that  all  be  rightly  reformed  there ;  as  for  refor- 
mation of  the  Church,  God  will  never  call  you 
to  an  account.  Some  things  cannot  be  reformed, 
and  very  many  need  not,  for  all  thy  peevish 
dreams ;  and  after  all,  it  is  twenty  to  one  but 
thou  art  mistaken,  and  thy  superior  is  in  the 
right,  and  if  thou  wert  not  proud  thou  wouldst 
think  so  too.  It  is  better  to  let  things  alone, 
than  to  be  troublesome  to  our  superiors  by  an 
impertinent  wrangling  after  reformation.  Chris- 
tianity is  a  soft  and  gentle  institution;  it  was 
brought  into  the  world  to  soften  the  asperities  of 
human  nature,  and  to  cure  tlie  barbarities  of  evil 
men  and-  the  contentions  of  the  passionate ;  and 
if  it  were  not  that  there  are  many  who  are  men 
of  much  religion  and  little  godliness,  it  would 
not  be  that  there  should  be  so  many  quarrels  in 


THE   SEVENTH   BEATITUDE.  285 

and  concerning  that  religion,  which  is  wholly 
made  up  of  truth  and  peace,  and  was  sent 
among  us  to  reconcile  the  hearts  of  men,  when 
they  were  tempted  to  uncharitableness  by  any 
other  unhappy  argument.  Let  us  go  to  the 
truth  itself,  to  Christ — and  he  will  tell  us  an 
easy  way  of  ending  our  quarrels :  for  we  shall 
lind  Christianity  to  be  the  easiest  and  the  hard- 
est thino:  in  the  world:  it  is  like  a  secret  in 
arithmetic,  infinitely  hard  till  it  be  found  out  by 
a  right  operation ;  and  then  it  is  so  plain,  we 
wonder  we  did  not  understand  it  earlier. 

Our  evil  life  is  the  cause  of  our  controversies 
and  ignorances  in  religion  and  of  the  things  of 
God.  Let  God  declare  His  mind  never  so 
plainly,  if  men  will  not  lay  aside  the  evil  prin- 
ciple that  is  within,  their  open  love  to  their 
secret  sin,  they  may  kill  an  apostle,  and  yet  be 
so  ignorant  as  to  "  think  they  do  God  good  ser- 
vice ;''  they  may  disturb  kingdoms,  and  break 
the  peace  of  a  well-ordered  church,  and  rise  up 
against  their  fathers,  and  be  cruel  to  their  breth- 
ren," and  stir  up  the  people  to  sedition,  and  all 
this  with  a  hard  heart  and  a  tender  conscience, 
with  humble  carriage  and  a  proud  spirit. 

Many  ways  have  been  attempted  to  reconcile 
the  differences  of  the  Church  in  matters  of  reli- 
gion, and  all  the  counsels  of  men  have  yet  proved 
ineffective.  Let  us  now  try  God's  method  ;  let  us 
betake  ourselves  to  live  holily,  and  then  the  Spirit 


286  SIXTH    FKIDAT    IN    LENT. 

of  trntli  will  lead  us  into  all  truth.  It  can  be  no 
good  religion,  whose  principles  destroy  any  duty 
of  religion.  Any  thing  that  is  proud,  any  thing 
that  is  peevish  or  scornful,  any  thing  that  is  un- 
charitable, is  against  that  "  form  of  sound  doc- 
trine" which  the  Apostle  speaks  of.  l^either  is 
there  any  godliness  in  spending  our  time  and 
our  talk,  our  heart  and  our  spirits,  about  the 
garments  and  outsides  of  religion :  it  is  but  an 
ill  sign  of  holiness  when  a  man  is  busy  in  trou- 
bling himself  and  his  superior  in  little  scruples 
and  fantastic  opinions,  about  things  not  concern- 
ing the  life  of  religion,  or  the  pleasure  of  God, 
or  the  excellences  of  the  Spirit. 

Whoever  shall  oppose  you,  and  the  truth  you 
w^alk  by,  may  better  be  confuted  by  your  lives 
than  by  your  disputations.  Passionate  men  are 
to  be  taught  the  first  elements  of  religion  ;  and 
let  men  pretend  as  much  learning  as  they  please, 
they  must  begin  again  at  Christ's  cross :  they 
must  learn  true  mortification  and  crucifixion  of 
their  anger  and  desires,  before  they  can  be  good 
scholars  in  Christ's  school.  It  was  an  excellent 
pi'overb  of  the  Jews :  "  The  Holy  Ghost  never 
dwells  in  the  house  of  passion.  Truth  enters 
mto  the  heart  of  man  when  it  is  empty,  and 
clean,  and  still;  but  when  the  mind  is  shaken 
with  passion  as  with  a  storm,  you  can  never 
hear  the  voice  of  the  charmer,  though  he  charm 
very  wisely."     So  long  as  we  know  God  only  in 

1«9 


THE    SEVENTH   BEATITUDE.  287 

tlie  ways  of  mean — by  contentions  learning,  by 
arguing  and  disputing — we  see  nothing  but  the 
shadow  of  Him  :  but  when  we  know  Him  with 
the  eyes  of  holiness,  and  the  intuition  of  gracious 
experiences,  with  a  quiet  spirit  and  the  peace  of 
enjoyment ;  then  the  mysteries  of  godliness  shall 
be  opened  unto  us,  and  be  clear  as  the  windows 
of  the  morning. 

There  is  a  sort  of  God's  dear  servants  who 
walk  in  perfectness,  who  "perfect  holiness  in 
the  fear  of  God."  And  they  have  a  degree  of 
charity  and  divine  knowledge  more  than  we  can 
discourse  of,  brighter  than  the  sun,  and  inde- 
iicient  as  the  light  of  Heaven.  Christ  is  this 
"  brio^htness  of  God"  manifested  in  the  hearts  of 
His  dearest  servants. 

But  I  shall  say  no  more  of  this ;  for  it  is  to  be 
felt,  and  not  to  be  talked  of;  and  they  that  never 
touched  it  with  their  fingers  may  secretly,  per- 
haps, laugh  at  it  in  their  heart,  and  be  never  the 
wiser.  All  that  I  shall  now  say  is,  that  a  good 
man  is  united  unto  God,  as  a  flame  touches  a 
flame,  and  combines  into  splendor  and  to  glory. 
So  is  the  spirit  of  a  man  united  into  Christ  by 
the  Spirit  of  God.  These  are  the  friends  of  God, 
and  they  best  know  God's  mind,  and  they  only  " 
that  are  so  know  how  much  such  men  do.  know. 

This  is  the  highest  round  of  the  ladder,  and  the 
angels  stand  u]3on  it.  They  dwell  in  love  and 
contemplation  ;  they  worship  and  obey,  but  dis- 


288  SIXTH   FKIDAY    IN   LENT. 

pute  not ;  and  our  quarrels  and  impertinent 
wranglings  about  religion  are  nothing  else  but 
the  want  of  the  measure  of  this  state. 

For  our  light  is  like  a  candle ;  every  wind  of 
vain  doctrine  blows  it  out,  or  spends  the  wax 
and  makes  the  light  tremulous ;  but  the  lights  of 
Heaven  are  fixed  and  bright,  and  shine  forever. 


PEATER. 

O  Almighty  and  most  Gracious  Father,  who 
art  the  Fountain  of  peace,  and  the  Source  of  all 
unity  ;  I  pray  unto  Thee  for  peace,  for  love,  and 
for  Thy  salvation.  Let  a  holy  peace  forever 
dwell  in  my  own  conscience ;  and  vouchsafe  to 
me,  and  to  all  Christian  people,  to  be  of  one 
heart  and  one  voice,  the  same  faith  and  an 
eternal  charity ;  and  grant  that,  delighting  in 
Thee  alone,  we  may  be  guided  into  the  way  of 
peace;  and  at  the  last  find  rest  in  the  inherit- 
ance of  Thy  saints,  through  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord.     Amen. 


SIXTH  SATUEDAY  m  LEOT?. 

THE  EIGHTH  BEATITUDE. 

**  Blessed  are  they  which  are  persecuted  for  righteousness'  sake : 
for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven."    Matt.  v.  10. 

"  Blessed  are  they  which  are  persecuted  for 

righteousness'  sake :  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of 
heaven."  This,  being  the  hardest  command  in 
the  whole  discipline  of  Jesus,  is  fortified  with  a 
double  blessedness ;  for  it  follows  immediately, 
"  Blessed  are  ye  when  men  shall  revile  you  and 
persecute  you ;"  meaning,  that  all  persecution 
for  a  cause  of  righteousness,  though  the  afflic- 
tion be  instanced  only  in  rej^roachful  language, 
shall  be  a  title  to  the  blessedness.  Any  suffer- 
ing for  any  good  and  harmless  action  is  a  degree 
of  martyrdom :  it  being  the  greatest  testimony 
in  the  world  of  the  greatest  love,  to  quit  that 
for  God  which  hath  possessed  our  most  natural, 
regular,  and  orderly  affections.  It  is  a  prefer- 
ring God's  cause  before  our  own  interest ;  it  is 
a  loving  of  virtue  without  secular  ends ;  it  is  the 
crown  of  faith,  the  confidence  of  hope,  and  our 
greatest  charity.  "  Do  this  and  live,"  was  the 
covenant  of  the  law ;  but  in  the  Gospel,  it  is 

25 


290  SIXTH    SATURDAY   IN    LENT. 

"Suffer  this  and  live."  "He  that  forsaketh 
house  and  land,  friends  and  life,  for  My  sake, 
is  My  disciple."  And  without  the  suffering  of 
saints,  where  were  the  exaltation  of  the  cross, 
the  conformity  of  the  members  to  Christ  their 
Head,  the  coronets  of  martyrs  ?  Where  the  trial 
of  our  faith;  or  the  exercise  of  long-suffering? 
"Where  the  opportunities  to  give  God  the  great- 
est love?  which  cannot  be  but  by  dying  and 
suffering  for  Him. 

For  that  a  man's  nature  is  capable  of  suffering 
is  its  best  advantage.  By  the  sufferings  of  our 
Lord  and  Brother  we  w^ere  all  rescued  from  the 
portion  of  devils ;  and  by  our  sufferings  we  have 
a  capacity  of  serving  God  beyond  that  of  angels ; 
who  indeed  can  sing  God's  praises  with  a  sweet- 
er note,  and  obey  Him  with  a  more  unabated 
will,  and  execute  His  commands  with  a  swifter 
wing  and  a  greater  power :  but  they  cannot  die 
for  God,  they  can  lose  no  lands  for  him ;  and 
He  that  did  so  for  all  us,  and  commanded  us  to 
do  so  for  Him,  is  ascended  far  above  all  angels, 
and  is  Heir  of  a  greater  glory. 

They  however  that  suffer  any  thing  for  Christ, 
and  are  ready  to  die  for  Him,  let  them  be  care- 
ful to  do  nothing  against  Him.  For  certainly 
they  think  too  highly  of  martyrdom,  who  be- 
lieve it  able  to  excuse  all  the  evils  of  a  wicked 
life.  A  man  may  "  give  his  body  to  be  burned, 
and  yet  have  no  charity:"  and  he  that  dies 


THE   EIGHTH   BEATITUDE.  291 

without  charity,  dies  without  God  ;  for  "  God  is 
love."  Many  things  may  make  a  man  willing 
to  die  in  a  good  cause — public  reputation,  hope 
of  reward,  gallantry  of  spirit,  a  confident  reso- 
lution, and  a  masculine  courage ;  or  a  man  may 
be  vexed  into  a  stubborn  and  unrelenting  suffer- 
ing :  but  nothing  can  make  a  man  live  well,  but 
the  grace  and  the  love  of  God.  He,  therefore, 
that  suffers  in  a  good  cause,  let  him  be  sure  to 
walk  worthy  of  that  honor  to  which  God  hath 
called  him.  Let  him  first  deny  his  sins,  and 
then  " deny  himself ;"  and  then  he  may  "take 
up  his  cross  and  follow  Christ,"  ever  remember- 
ing, that  no  man  pleases  God  in  his  death  who 
hath  walked  perversely  in  his  life- 
He  that  suffers  in  a  cause  of  God  must  also 
be  indifferent  what  the  instance  be,  so  that  he 
may  serve  God.  Let  us  choose  God,  and  let 
God  choose  all  the  rest  for  us ;  it  being  indiffer- 
ent to  us,  whether  by  poverty  or  shame,  by  a 
lingering  or  a  sudden  death,  by  the  hands  of  a 
tyrant  prince  or  the  despised  hands  of  a  base 
usurper  or  a  rebel,  we  receive  the  crown,  and 
do  honor  to  God  and  to  religion.  And  in  no 
case  let  us  be  forward  to  prognosticate  evil  to 
our  enemies ;  but  let  us  solace  ourselves  in  the 
assurance  of  the  Divine  justice,  by  general  con- 
siderations, and  in  particular  pray  for  them  that 
are  our  persecutors.  It  is  not  always  certain 
that  God  will  be  angry  with   every  man  by 


292  SIXTH    SATURDAY   IN   LENT. 

whose  hand  affliction  comes  upon  us;  and  let 
us  not  therefore  decree  judgments  from  Heaven, 
in  cases  where  we  have  no  word  from  Heaven ; 
and  thunder  from  our  tribunals,  where  no  voice 
of  God  hath  declared  the  sentence.  But  in  such 
cases,  where  there  is  an  evident  tyranny  and  in- 
justice, let  us  do  like  the  Good  Samaritan  who 
dressed  the  wounded  man,  but  never  pursued 
the  thief.  Let  us  do  charity  to  the  afflicted,  and 
bear  the  cross  with  nobleness,  and  "  look  up  to 
Jesus,  who  endured  the  cross  and  des]3ised  the 
shame ;"  but  let  us  not  take  upon  us  the  office 
of  God,  who  will  "judge  the  nations  righteous- 
ly," and  when  He  hath  delivered  up  our  bodies 
will  rescue  our  souls  "from  the  hands  of  un- 
righteous judges." 

Do  not  trouble  yourself  by  thinking  how 
much  you  are  afflicted,  but  consider  how  much 
you  make  of  it :  for  reflex- acts  upon  the  suffer- 
ing itself  can  lead  to  nothing  but  to  pride  or  to 
impatience,  to  temptation  or  apostasy.  Look 
not  back  upon  him  that  strikes  thee,  but  upward 
to  God  that  supports  thee,  and  forward  to  the 
crown  that  is  set  before  thee ;  and  then  consider, 
if  the  loss  of  tliy  estate  hath  taught  thee  to  de- 
spise the  world :  and  if  thy  uneasy  prison  sets 
thy  soul  at  liberty  and  knocks  off  the  fetters  of 
a  worse  captivity.  "  Thy  will  be  done"  is  our 
daily  prayer,  and  that  is  of  a  passive  significa- 
tion ;  "  Thy  will  be  done"  upon  us ;  and  if  from 


THE   EIGHTH   BEATITUDE.  293 

tlience  also  we  translate  it  into  an  active  sense, 
and  by  suffering  evils  increase  our  aptnesses  to 
do  well,  we  have  done  the  work  of  Christians 
and  shall  receive  the  rewards  of  martyrs. 

And  when  God  hath  brought  thee  into  Christ's 
school,  and  entered  thee  into  a  state  of  sufferings, 
remember  the  advantages  of  that  state.  Con- 
sider how  unsavory  the  things  of  the  world  ap- 
pear to  thee  when  thou  art  under  the  arrest  of 
death ;  remember  with  wdiat  comforts  the  Spirit 
of  God  assists  thy  spirit ;  set  down  in  thy  heart, 
all  those  intercourses  which  happen  between 
God  and  thy  own  soul,  the  sweetnesses  of  reli- 
gion, thy  longings  after  Heaven,  and  all  the 
things  of  God.  And  if  God  restores  thee  to  thy 
estate,  be  not  therefore  less  in  love  with  Heaven, 
nor  more  in  love  with  the  world.  Let  thy  spirit 
be  now  as  humble  as  before  it  was  broken,  that 
thou  may  est  say  with  David,  "  It  is  good  for  me 
that  I  have  been  afflicted,  for  thereby  I  have 
learned  thy  commandments."  "We  may  every 
one  live  to  have  need  of  these  rules ;  and  I  do 
not  at  all  think  it  safe  to  pray  against  it,  but  to 
be  armed  for  it. 

"  If  the  righteous  scarcely  be  saved,"  says  the 
Apostle,  "  where  shall  the  wicked  and  the  sinner 
appear  ?"  Tliese  words  are  taken  out  of  the  Prov- 
erbs, according  to  the  translation  of  the  Septua- 
gint.  "  If  the  righteous  scarcely  be  safe" — the 
words  imply  that  he  is  safe;  but  by  interme- 
25« 


294:  SIXTH   SATUEDAY  IN   LENT. 

dial  difficulties ;  he  is  safe  in  the  midst  of  his 
persecutions.  And  so  have  I  often  seen  young 
and  unskilful  persons  sitting  in  a  little  boat, 
when  every  little  wave  sporting  about  the  sides 
of  the  vessel,  and  every  motion  and  dancing  of 
the  barge,  seemed  a  danger,  Und  made  them 
cling  fast  upon  their  fellows;  and  yet  all  the 
while  they  were  as  safe  as  if  they  sat  under  a 
tree,  while  a  gentle  wind  shook  the  leaves  into 
a  refreshment  and  a  cooling  shade.  And  the 
unskilful,  inexperienced  Christian  shrieks  out 
whenever  his  vessel  shakes,  thinking  it  always 
a  danger,  that  the  watery  pavement  is  not  stable 
and  resident  like  a  rock.  And  yet,  all  his  danger 
is  in  himself — none  at  all  from  without :  for  he 
is  indeed  moving  upon  the  waters,  but  fastened 
to  a  rock.  Faith  is  his  foundation,  and  hope  is 
his  anchor,  and  death  is  his  harbor,  and  Christ 
is  his  pilot,  and  Heaven  is  his  country ;  and  all 
the  evils  of  poverty  or  affronts,  of  tribunals  and 
evil  judges,  of  fears  and  sadder  apprehensions, 
are  but  like  the  loud  wind  blowing  from  the  right 
point — they  make  a  noise,  and  drive  faster  to 
the  harbor.  And  if  we  do  not  leave  the  ship, 
and  leap  into  the  sea ;  quit  the  interests  of  reli- 
gion, and  run  to  the  securities  of  the  world  ;  cut 
our  cables,  and  dissolve  our  hopes;  grow  impa- 
tient, and  hug  a  wave  and  die  in  its  embraces ; 
we  are  as  safe  at  sea — safer  in  the  storm  which 
God  sends  us,  than  in  a  calm  when  we  are  be- 


THE   EIGHTH   BEATITUDE.  295 

friended  witli  the  world.  And  yet,  after  all  this, 
the  good  man  "  escapes  but  hardly"  here ;  but 
it  will  be  well  enough  hereafter.  AYhen  the 
Christian's  last  pit  is  digged,  when  he  is  de- 
scended to  his  grave  and  hath  finished  his  state 
of  sorrows  and  sufferings  ;  then  God  opens  the 
rivers  of  life  and  never-ceasing  felicities.  And 
this  is  that  which  God  promised  to  his  people  : 
"  I  hid  My  face  from  thee  for  a  moment ;  but 
with  everlasting  kindness  will  I  have  mercy  on 
thee,  saith  the  Lord  thy  Redeemer." 

So  much  as  moments  are  exceeded  by  eter- 
nity, and  the  sighing  of  a  man  by  the  joys  of 
an  angel,  and  a  salutary  frown  by  the  light  of 
God's  countenance,  and  a  few  groans  by  the 
infinite  and  eternal  hallelujahs ;  so  much  are 
the  sorrows  of  the  godly  to  be  undervalued  in 
respect  of  what  is  deposited  for  them  in  the  treas- 
ures of  Eternity.  Their  sorrows  can  die,  but  so 
cannot  their  joys.  And  if  the  blessed  martyrs 
and  confessors  were  asked  concerning  their  past 
sufferings  and  their  present  rest,  and  the  joys  of 
their  certain  expectation,  you  should  hear  them 
glory  in  nothing  but  in  the  mercies  of  God  and 
"  in  the  cross  of  the  Lord  Jesus."  Every  chain 
is  a  ray  of  light,  and  every  prison  is  a  palace, 
and  every  loss  is  the  purchase  of  a  kingdom,  and 
every  affront  in  the  cause  of  God  is  an  eternal 
honor,  and  every  day  of  sorrow  is  a  thousand 
years  of  comfort  multiplied  with  a  never-ceasing 


296  SIXTH    SATTJEDAY    IN    LENT. 

numeration ;  davs  withont  nights,  joys  withont 
sorrow,  sanctity  without  sin,  charity  without 
stain,  possession  without  fear,  society  without 
envying,  communication  of  joys  without  lessen- 
ing— and  they  shall  dwell  in  a  blessed  country, 
where  an  enemy  never  entered,  and  from  whence 
a  fi'iend  never  went  away. 

PKATEK. 

O  Lord  our  God,  who  hast  placed  us  in  this 
world  like  strangers  and  pilgrims,  far  from  our 
country  and  from  rest ;  have  mercy,  I  humbly 
beseech  Thee,  upon  me  and  upon  Thy  whole 
Church.  Chasten  us  with  Thy  gentleness  when 
we  sin  against  Thee ;  be  unto  us  a  refuge  in 
trouble  when  we  call  upon  Thee ;  give  us  pa- 
tience in  the  time  of  adversity  ;  and  grant  that 
in  the  multitude  of  sorrows  Thy  comforts  may 
refresh  us,  and  Thy  mercies  relieve  us,  and  Thy 
Hand  lead  us,  for  the  sake  of  our  Kedeemer,  to 
the  land  of  glorious  promises,  there  to  reign  with 
Thee,  who  livest  and  governest  all  things,  world 
without  end.     Amen. 


SUKDAY  KEXT  BEFOEE  EASTER. 

CHRIST'S  ENTRANCE  INTO  JERUSALEM!. 

"  And  they  brought  the  colt  to  Jesus,  and  cast  their  garments  on 
him  ;  aud  He  sat  upon  him."    Mark  xi.  7. 

Our  blessed  Lord,  five  days  before  His  Pas- 
sion, sent  His  disciples  to  a  village  to  borrow  an 
ass,  that  He  might  ride  in  triumph  to  Jerusalem. 
He  had  none  of  His  own ;  but  yet  He,  who  was 
so  dear  to  God,  could  not  want  what  was  to 
supply  His  needs.  And,  in  like  manner,  it  may 
be,  God  hath  laid  up  our  portion  in  the  reposito- 
ries of  other  men,  and  means  to  furnish  us  from 
their  granaries,  and  that  their  wardrobe  shall 
clothe  us.  And  if  we  would  give  God  leave  to 
make  provisions  for  us  in  the  ways  of  His  own 
choosing,  and  not  estimate  our  wants  by  our 
manner  of  receiving,  being  contented  that  God, 
by  any  of  His  own  ways,  will  minister  it  to  us, 
we  should  find  our  cares  eased,  and  our  thank- 
fulness engaged,  and  all  our  moderate  desires 
contented,  by  the  satisfaction  of  our  needs. 

And  now  begins  that  great  triumph,  in  which 
the  Holy  Jesus  was  pleased  to  exalt  His  office, 
and  to  abase  His  person.     He  rode,  like  a  poor 


298  SUNDAY    NEXT    BEFORE    EASTER. 

man,  upon  an  ass,  a  beast  of  burden  and  the 
lowest  value,  and  yet  it  was  not  His  own ;  and 
in  that  equipage  He  received  the  acclamations 
due  to  a  mighty  prince,  to  the  Son  of  the  eternal 
King ;  telling  us  that  the  smallness  of  fortune, 
and  the  rudeness  of  exterior  habiliments,  are 
sometimes  the  outsides  of  a  great  glory ;  and 
that  when  God  means  to  glorify  or  do  honor 
to  a  person,  He  needs  no  help  from  secular  ad- 
vantages. 

He  hides  great  riches  in  renunciation  of  the 
world,  and  makes  great  honor  break  forth  from 
the  clouds  of  humility;  and  victory  to  arise 
from  yielding,  and  peace  to  be  the  reward  of 
him  that  suffers  all  the  hostilities  of  men  and 
devils.  For  Jesus,  in  this  great  humility  of  His, 
gave  a  great  proof  that  He  was  the  Messias,  and 
the  King  of  Sion ;  because  no  other  king  en- 
tered into  those  gates  riding  upon  an  ass,  and 
received  the  honor  of  "  Hosannah,"  in  that  un- 
likelihood and  contradiction  of  unequal  circum- 
stances. 

The  blessed  Jesus  had  never  but  two  days  of 
triumph  in  His  life :  the  one  was  on  His  trans- 
figuration upon  Mount  Tabor,  the  other  this 
His  riding  into  the  holy  city.  But,  that  it  may 
appear  how  little  were  His  joys  and  present 
exterior  complacencies,  in  the  day  of  His  trans- 
figuration, Moses  and  Elias  appeared  to  Him, 
telling  Him  what  great  things  He  was  to  suffer ; 


Christ's  entrance  into  Jerusalem.      299 

and  in  this  day  of  His  riding  into  Jerusalem, 
He  wet  the  pahns  with  a  dew  sweeter  than  the 
moistures  upon  Mount  Hermon,  or  the  drops  of 
manna.  For,  to  aUay  the  little  warmth  of  a 
springing  joy,  He  let  down  a  shower  of  tears, 
weeping  over  undone  Jerusalem  in  the  day  of 
His  triumph ;  leaving  it  disputable  whether  He 
felt  more  joy  or  sorrow  in  the  acts  of  love.  For 
He  triumphed  to  consider  that  the  redemption 
of  the  world  was  so  near,  and  wept  bitterly  that 
men  would  not  be  redeemed.  His  joy  was  great 
to  consider  that  Himself  was  to  suffer  so  great 
sadness  for  our  good  ;  and  His  sorrow  was  very 
great  to  consider  that  we  would  not  entertain 
that  good  that  He  brought  and  laid  before  us  by 
His  Passion.  And  thus  Jesus — like  a  rainbow, 
half  made  of  the  glories  of  light  and  half  of  the 
moisture  of  a  cloud,  half  triumph  and  half  sor- 
row— entered  into  that  town,  where  He  had 
done  much  good  to  others,  and  to  Himself  re- 
ceived nothing  but  affronts.  Yet  His  tenderness 
increased  ^upon  Him ;  and  that  very  journey, 
which  was  Christ's  last  solemn  visit  for  their 
recovery.  He  doubled  all  the  instruments  of  His 
mercy  and  their  conversion.  He  rode  in  tri- 
umph ;  the  children  sang  Hosannah  to  Him ; 
He  cured  many  diseased  persons ;  He  wept  for 
them,  and  pitied  them,  and  sighed  out  the  inti- 
mations of  a  prayer,  and  stayed  all  day  there 
looking  about  Him  towards  evening;    and  no 


300      SUNDAY  NEXT  BEFORE  EASTEK. 

man  would  invite  Him  home,  but  He  was  forced 
to  go  to  Bethany,  where  He  was  sure  of  a  hos- 
pitable entertainment.  I  think  no  Christian  that 
reads  this  but  will  be  full  of  indignation  at  the 
whole  city ;  who,  for  malice  or  for  fear,  would 
not,  or  durst  not,  receive  their  Saviour  into  their 
houses.  And  yet,  we  do  worse ;  for  now  that 
He  is  become  our  Lord,  with  mightier  demon- 
strations of  His  eternal  power,  we  suffer  Him 
to  look  round  about  us  for  months  and  years 
together,  and  possibly  never  entertain  Him,  till 
our  house  is  ready  to  rush  upon  our  heads,  and 
we  are  going  to  unusual  and  stranger  habita- 
tions. And  yet,  in  the  midst  of  a  populous  and 
mutinous  city,  this  great  King  had  some  good 
subjects ;  persons  that  threw  away  their  own 
garments  and  laid  them  at  the  feet  of  our  Lord ; 
that,  being  divested  of  their  own,  they  might 
be  re-invested  with  a  robe  of  His  righteousness, 
wearing  that  till  it  were  changed  into  a  stole  of 
glory. 

But  I  consider  that  the  blessed  Jesus  had 
affections,  not  less  than  infinite,  towards  all  man- 
kind ;  and  He  w^ho  wept  upon  Jerusalem — who 
had  done  so  great  to  despite  Him,  and  within  five 
days,  were  to  fill  up  the  measure  of  their  iniqui- 
ties, and  do  an  act  which  all  ages  of  the  world 
could  never  repeat  in  the  same  instance — did 
also,  in  the  number  of  his  tears,  reckon  our  sins, 
as  sad  considerations  and  incentives  of  His  sor- 


301 

row.  And  it  would  well  become  us  to  consider 
what  great  evil  we  do,  when  our  actions  are  such 
as  for  which  our  blessed  Lord  did  weep.  He 
who  was  seated  in  the  bosom  of  felicity :  yet  He 
moistened  liis  fresh  laurels  upon  the  day  of  His 
triumph  with  tears  of  love  and  bitter  alloy.  His 
day  of  triumph  was  a  day  of  sorrow ;  and  if  we 
would  weep  for  our  sins,  that  instance  of  sorrow 
would  be  a  day  of  triumph  and  jubilee. 


PKAYER. 

O  Holy  Saviour,  Eternal  King  of  Sion,  who 
with  great  humility  and  infinite  love  didst  enter 
the  holy  city ;  enter  into,  I  beseech  Thee,  and 
take  possession  of  my  soul,  and  enable  me  by 
Thy  aid  to  triumph  over  my  sins,  and  lay  my 
victories  at  Thy  feet,  and  at  last  follow  Thee  into 
the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  with  palms  in  my  hand, 
and  joy  in  my  heart,  and  praises  on  my  lips,  re- 
joicing in  Thee  through  a  glorious  eternity,  O 
Holy  and  Eternal  Saviour.  Amen. 
26 


mo:n"dat  befoke  eastek. 

THE  SUPPER  AT  BETHANY. 

*'Then  took  Mary  a  pound  of  ointment  of  spikenard,  very  costly, 
and  anointed  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  wiped  His  feet  with  her 
hair ;  and  the  house  was  filled  with  the  odor  of  the  oint- 
ment."   John  xii.  3. 

'From.  Jerusalem  the  Holy  Jesus  went  to  Beth- 
any, where  He  had  another  manner  of  reception 
than  at  the  holy  city.  There  He  supped:  for 
His  goodly  day  of  triumph  had  been  a  fasting 
day ;  and  there  Mary  Magdalen,  who  had  spent 
one  box  of  precious  ointment  upon  His  feet,  as 
a  sacrifice  of  eucharist  for  her  conversion,  be- 
stowed another,  in  thankfulness  for  the  restitu- 
tion of  her  brother  Lazarus  to  life,  and  consigned 
her  Lord  to  His  burial.  It  was  an  unaccustomed 
and  large  profusion,  and  Judas,  an  Apostle,  one 
of  our  Lord's  own  family,  pretended  it  had  been 
a  better  religion  to  have  given  it  to  the  poor. 
But  it  was  malice,  and  the  spirit  either  of  envy 
or  avarice  in  him  that  passed  the  sentence  ;  and 
the  event  of  that  man  gave  the  interpretation  of 
his  present  purpose.  But  Jesus  entertained  the 
sincerity  of  that  miraculous  love,  and  Mary 
Magdalen  found  her  Lord  to  be  her  portion  and 


THE  SUPPER  AT  BETHANY.        803 

her  advocate ;  and  so  liereafter  when  the  devil, 
the  great  accuser  of  God's  saints,  shall  object 
against  the  piety  and  religion  of  holy  persons, 
a  cup  of  cold  water  shall  be  accepted  unto 
reward ;  and  an  action,  done  with  great  zeal 
and  an  intense  love  be  acquitted  from  all  its 
adherent  imperfections;  Christ  receiving  them 
unto  Himself,  and  being  like  the  altar  of  in- 
cense, hallowing  the  very  smoke  and  raising  it 
into  a  flame,  and  entertaining  it  into  the  em- 
braces of  the  Armament,  and  the  bosom  ot 
Heaven. 

For  Christ  our  Lord  has  made,  and  blessed, 
and  preserved,  and  sanctified  us  in  order  that 
we  might  love  Him.  When  our  sins  had  sepa- 
rated between  us  and  our  God,  His  love  and 
His  passion.  His  holiness  and  His  obedience, 
reconciled  us.  He  had  the  smart,  but  we  the 
ease ;  His  were  the  sufferings,  but  ours  the 
mercy;  he  felt  the  load  of  stripes,  but  from 
thence  a  holy  balm  did  flow  upon  us ;  He  felt 
the  thorns,  but  we  shall  bear  the  crown ;  and 
after  He  had  paid  the  price  we  got  the  purchase. 
And  now  hath  He  put  upon  our  hearts  the 
sweetest  and  easiest  yoke  of  love,  to  enable  us  to 
bear  His  burden. 

Abraham  excelled  in  faith.  Job  in  patience, 
Isaac  in  fidelity,  Jacob  in  simplicity,  Joseph  in 
chastity,  David  in  religion,  Josiah  in  zeal,  and 
Manasses  in  repentance  ;  but  Christ  Himself  con- 


304:  MONDAY   BEFORE   EASTER. 

versed  with  man,  and  taught  him  love.  When 
the  trembling  Christian  shall  say,  "  Woe  is  me  ! 
for  I  am  a  great  sinner ;  woe  is  me !  for  I  am 
polluted,  and  of  unclean  lips;"  let  him  remem- 
ber that  Mary  Magdalen,  the  first  time  she  came 
to  her  Lord,  was  a  suspected  sinner,  and  a  guest 
unbidden  ;  and  though  a  thousand  years  of  tears 
and  sorrow,  the  purity  of  angels,  the  love  of 
saints,  and  the  humiliation  of  the  greatest  peni- 
tent, are  not  sufficient  to  make  us-  worthy  to 
dwell  with  Him ;  yet  was  He  pleased  to  receive 
the  weary  sinner,  the  overburdened,  conscience, 
the  afflicted,  polluted  soul,  into  His  care  and 
conduct.  His  custody  and  cure. 

For  the  Blessed  Saviour,  who  did,  for  our 
sakes,  take  upon  Him  our  weaknesses  and  our 
sufi'erings;  who  was  hungry  after  the  tempta- 
tion of  the  devil — weary  and  thirsty  in  his  dis- 
course with  the  woman  of  Samaria;  who  did 
weep  over  Lazarus — was  afflicted  in  the  garden 
— nailed  on  the  cross — pierced  with  a  spear — 
wrapped  in  linen,  and  laid  in  the  grave  ;  so  be- 
came a  merciful  High  Priest,  and  pitiful  to  our 
infirmities.  And  when  our  faith  is  pure,  and 
our  love  unfeigned,  and  we  weep  truly  for  our 
sins,  though  but  with  a  shower  no  bigger  than 
the  drops  of  pity ;  if  the  degrees  be  great,  Christ 
will  accept  it  into  glory ;  if  it  be  little.  He  will 
accept  it  into  grace  and  make  it  bigger. 

Great  and   infinite  indeed   are   His  glories; 


THE  SUPPER  AT  BETHAKT.         805 

infinite  and  glorious  are  Ilis  mercies !  For 
Heaven  itself  does  wholly  minister  to  our  salva- 
tion. God  takes  care  of  us,  God  loves  us,  God 
will  not  suffer  us  to  perisli ;  and  yet  more,  tlie 
Son  of  God,  wlio  died  for  us,  was  so  ready  in 
His  mercy,  that  He  did  pardon  us  even  before 
we  were  redeemed. 

For  what  is  the  secret  of  the  mystery,  that 
the  Eternal  Son  of  God  should  take  upon  Him 
our  nature,  and  die  our  death,  and  suffer  for  our 
sins,  and  do  our  work,  and  enable  us  to  do  our 
own?  He  that  did  this  is  God.  He,  "who 
thought  it  no  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God ;" 
He  came  to  satisfy  Himself,  to  pay  to  Himself 
the  price  for  His  own  creatures.  And  when 
He  did  this  for  us  that  He  might  pardon  us, 
was  He  at  that  instant  angry  with  us?  Was 
this  an  effect  of  His  anger  or  of  His  love,  that 
God  sent  His  Son  to  work  out  our  pardon  and 
salvation?  Indeed,  we  were  angry  with  God, 
at  enmity  with  the  Prince  of  life ;  but  He  was 
reconciled  to  us  so  far,  as  that  He  then  did  the 
greatest  thing  in  the  world  for  us :  for  nothing 
could  be  greater  than  that  God  the  Son  of  God 
should  die  for  us.  Here  was  reconciliation 
before  pardon ;  and  God,  that  came  to  die  for 
us,  did  love  us  first  before  He  came. 

This  was  hasty  love.  But  it  went  further  yet. 
For  God  pardoned  us  before  we  sinned.  "When 
He  foresaw  our  sin,  even  mine  and  yours.  He 

26- 


306  MONDAY   BEFORE  EASTER. 

sent  His  Son  to  die  for  lis.  Our  pardon  was 
wrought  and  effected  by  Christ's  death  above 
eighteen  hundred  years  ago ;  and  for  the  sins  of 
to-morrow,  and  the  infirmities  of  the  next  day, 
Christ  is  ah-eady  dead,  ah-eady  risen  from  the 
dead,  and  does  now  make  intercession  and 
atonement. 

For,  as  if  God  could  not  stay  from  redeeming 
us.  He  promised  the  Redeemer  to  Adam  in  the 
beginning  of  the  world's  sin;  and  Christ  was 
"the  Lamb  slain  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world ;"  and  the  covenant  of  the  Gospel,  though 
it  was  not  made  with  man,  yet  it  was  from  the 
beginning  performed  by  God  as  to  His  part,  as 
to  the  ministration  of  pardon ;  and  though  God 
laid  His  hand,  and  drew  a  veil  of  types  and 
secrecy  before  the  manifestation  of  His  mercies, 
yet  He  did  the  work  of  redemption,  and  saved 
us  by  the  covenant  of  faith,  and  the  righteous- 
ness of  believing,  and  the  mercies  of  repentance, 
the  graces  of  pardon,  and  the  blood  of  the  slain 
Lamb,  even  from  the  fall  of  Adam  to  this  very 
day;  and  will  do  till  Christ's  second  coming. 
He,  therefore,  who  has  given  unto  us  His  Son, 
will  He  not  with  Him  give  us  all  things  else 
which  are  needful  in  order  to  His  glory  and  our 
salvation  ?  He  who  dwelleth  in  every  sanctified 
soul,  and  taketh  it  for  His  own;  who  giveth 
occasion  and  createth  good  things,  and  produe- 


THE   SUPPER   AT   BETHANY.  307 

eth  affections,  and  stirretli  up  the  appetite,  will 
He  not  also  satisfy  all  liolj  desire  ? 

Oh !  let  ns  pray  Him  to  give  us  such  a  love, 
that  we  may  love  Him  as  well  as  any  of  His 
•servants  loved  Him,  and  that  He  may  love  us 
with  that  love  which  He  beareth  to  the  sons  of 
His  house.  For  the  love  of  Christ  troubles 
none,  but  is  entertained  by  all  that  feel  it  with 
joy  and  exultation.  It  gives  liberty,  and  drives 
away  fear ;  it  feels  no  labor,  but  suffers  all ;  it 
easies  the  weary,  and  strengthens  the  weak ;  it 
comforts  themx  that  mourn,  and  feeds  the  hun- 
gry; it  is  still  more  desired,  and  is  ever  more 
desirable :  and  it  will  bring  us  to  live  in  con- 
formity to  the  will,  and  die  in  the  favor,  of  our 
God ;  and  rest  in  hope,  and  rise  in  glory,  to  the 
participation  of  the  blessings  of  a  blissful  immor- 
tality, through  the  mercies  of  God  in  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  our  dearest  Saviour,  and  ever  glo- 
rious and  most  mighty  Redeemer. 

PEATEB. 

O  Blessed  Eedeemer,  Lamb  of  God,  that 
takest  away  the  sin  of  the  world ;  have  mercy 
upon  me,  a  miserable  sinner.  Unworthy  though 
I  am,  yet  Thy  love  never  fails.  Oh !  may  Thy 
infinite  Arm  of  mercy  be  reached  unto  me ; 
Thy  holy  Death,  Thy  Cross  and  Passion  be  in- 


308  MONDAY   BEFORE   EASTEE. 

terposed  between  Thy  judgments  and  my  soul. 
Lord  !  I  have  been  dead  in  tres23asses  and  sins, 
but  Thou  art  my  resurrection  and  my  life. 
Henceforth  grant  me  the  purity  of  an  angel, 
the  love  of  a  seraph,  and  so  establish  my  heart 
in  Thee,  that  giving  to  Thy  service  all  my  days 
and  all  my  powers,  I  may  be  beloved  of  Thee 
with  an  eternal  love,  and  may  dwell  one  day  in 
Thy  courts,  even  all  the  long  day  of  Eternity, 
for  Thy  infinite  merit's  sake.     Amen. 


TUESDAY  BEFOKE  EASTER. 

THE  HUMILITY  OF  CHRIST. 

"  Whether  is  greater,  he  that  sitteth  at  meat,  or  he  that  ser\^eth  ? 
is  not  he  that  sitteth  at  meat  ?  but  I  am  amoiig  you  as  he  that 
serveth."    Luke  xxii.  27. 

The  lioly  Jesus  went  now  to  eat  His  last  Pas- 
chal supper,  and  to  finish  the  work  of  His  lega- 
tion, and  to  fulfil  that  part  of  the  law  of  Moses 
in  every  of  its  smallest  and  most  minute  par- 
ticularities, in  which  also  the  actions  were  sig- 
nificant of  spiritual  duties :  which  He  may 
transfer  from  the  letter  to  the  spirit  in  our  own 
instances,  that,  as  Jesus  ate  the  Paschal  lamb 
with  a  staff  in  His  hand,  w^ith  His  loins  girt,  with 
sandals  on  His  feet,  in  great  haste,  with  imleav- 
ened  bread,  and  with  bitter  herbs ;  so  we  also 
should  do  all  our  services  according  to  the  sig- 
nification of  these  symbols,  leaning  upon  the 
cross  of  Jesus  for  a  staff,  and  bearing  the  rod 
of  His  government ;  with  loins  girt  with  an- 
gelical chastity,  with  shoes  on  our  feet,  that  so 
we  may  guard  and  have  custody  over  our  affec- 
tions, and  "  be  shod  with  the  preparation  of  the 
Gospel  of  peace ;"  eating  in  haste,  as  becomes 


310         TUESDAY  BEFORE  EASTEE. 

persons  "hungering  and  thirsting  after  right- 
eousness ;"  doing  the  work  of  the  Lord  zealously 
and  fervently,  without  the  leaven  of  malice  and 
secular  interest,  with  hitter  herhs  of  self-denial, 
and  mortification  of  our  sensual  and  inordinate 
desires 

When  the  holy  Jesus  had  finished  His  last 
Mosaic  rite,  He  descended  to  give  example  of 
the  first-fruits  of  evangelical  graces.  "  He  rose 
from  supper,  laid  aside  His  garment,"  like  a 
servant,  and,  with  all  the  circumstances  of  an 
humble  ministry,  "  washed  the  feet  of  His  dis- 
ciples," beginning  at  the  first,  St.  Peter,  until 
He  came  to  Judas  the  traitor,  that  we  might  in 
one  scheme,  see  a  rare  conjunction  of  charity 
and  humility,  of  self-denial  and  indififerency, 
represented  by  a  person  glorious  and  great, 
their  Lord  and  Master,  sad  and  troubled.  And 
He  chose  to  wash  their  feet  rather  than  their 
head,  that  He  might  have  an  opportunity  of  a 
more  humble  posture,  and  a  more  apt  signi- 
fication of  His  charity.  Thus  God  lays  every 
thing  aside  that  He  may  serve  His  servants : 
Heaven  stoops  to  earth,  and  one  abyss  calls 
upon  another,  and  the  miseries  of  man,  which 
were  next  to  infinite,  are  excelled  by  a  mercy 
equal  to  the  immensity  of  God. 

St.  Peter  was  troubled  that  the  Hands  of  the 
Lord  should  wash  His  servants'  feet — those 
Hands  which  had  opened  the  eyes  of  the  blind, 


THE   HUMILITY   OF   CHRIST.  311 

and  cured  lepers,  and  healed  all  diseases,  and 
when  lift  up  to  heaven  were  omnipotent,  and 
could  restore  life  to  dead  and  buried  persons. 
But  it  was  no  more  than  was  necessary,  for 
they  had  but  lately  been  earnest  in  dispute  for 
precedency,  and  this  was  not  to  be  cured  but 
by  some  prodigy  of  example  and  miracle  of 
humility.  And  it  seems,  it  is  a  great  thing 
that  man  should  come  to  have  just  and  equal 
thoughts  of  himself,  since  God  used  such  pow- 
erful arts  to  transmit  this  lesson  and  engrave 
it  in  the  spirits  of  men,  even  descending  from 
heaven  to  earth  to  teach  it  us. 

For  when  men  had  violated  the  natural  law 
and  broken  that  which  was  written ;  when  they 
had  forgotten  the  Divine  judgment  manifested 
in  the  deluge  upon  the  old  world,  in  fire  from 
heaven  upon  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  in  many 
plagues  upon  the  Egyptians,  in  the  slaughters 
of  the  Philistines;  and  when  the  wrath  of  God 
did  hang  over  all  the  world  for  their  iniquity ; 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  in  all  things  did 
minister  to  His  God  and  Father,  both  in  the 
creation  of  the  world  and  in  the  excellent  provi- 
dence of  it,  resolved  to  become  man.  He,  who 
is  the  Lawgiver,  would  be  subject  to  laws ;  He 
that  is  the  Hio-h  Priest  would  be  made  a  sac- 
rifice  ;  and  the  Great  Shepherd  of  our  souls 
would  be  a  lamb  and  be  slain  for  us.  Thus  He, 
who  is  the  Maker  of  all  that  are  born,  was  con- 


312  TUESDAY  BEFORE  EASTER. 

ceived  in  the  womb  of  a  Yirgin ;  He  that  is 
void  of  all  flesh  was  incarnate  and  made  flesh ; 
He  was  born  in  time,  who  was  begotten  from 
eternity. 

He  conversed  piously  with  men,  and  instruct- 
ed them  with  His  holy  laws  and  doctrine ;  He 
cured  every  disease  and  every  infirmity;  He 
did  signs  and  wonders  among  the  people ;  He 
slept,  and  ate,  and  drank,  who  feeds  all  the  liv- 
ing with  food,  and  fills  them  with  His  blessing ; 
He  declared  God's  name  to  them  who  knew  it 
not;  He  enlightened  our  ignorances;  He  en- 
kindled godliness,  and  fulfilled  His  Father's  will, 
and  finished  all  which  He  gave  Him  to  do. 

All  this  when  He  had  done,  He  was  taken  by 
the  hands  of  wicked  men,  by  the  treachery  of 
false  priests  and  an  ungodly  people,  and  by  the 
permission  of  His  heavenly  Father,  suffered 
many  things  of  reproach.  He  was  delivered  to 
Pilate,  who  judged  Him  that  is  the  Judge  of 
quick  and  dead,  and  condemned  Him  who  is 
the  Saviour  of  all  others. 

Then  He  who  is  incapable  of  suffering,  was 
crucified ;  and  He  died  who  is  of  an  immortal 
nature,  that  by  His  death  and  Passion  He 
might  free  them  for  whom  He  came,  and  might 
dissolve  the  bands  of  the  devil,  and  deliver  men 
from  all  His  crafty  malices. 

Oh,  consider  now  if  it  be  not  infinite  impiety 
to  despise  the  riches  of  such  goodness.     Kemem- 


THE   HUMILITY   OF   CHKIST.  813 

ber  that  vast  descent  from  the  glorious  bosom 
of  the  Father  to  the  womb  of  a  poor  maiden,  to 
the  form  of  a  servant,  to  the  miseries  of  a  sin- 
ner, to  a  life  of  labor,  to  a  state  of  poverty,  to 
a  death  of  malefactors,  to  the  grave  of  death. 
Think  if  it  were  not  a  good  desire,  and  yet  but 
reasonable,  that  we  should  be  as  humble  in  the 
midst  of  our  greatest  imperfections  and  basest 
sins,  as  Christ  was  in  the  midst  of  His  fulness 
of  the  Spirit ;  for,  if  this  example  fails,  we  are 
eternally  lost  in  the  mists  of  vanity,  and  enter 
into  the  condition  of  those  angels  whom  pride 
transformed  and  spoiled  into  the  condition  of 
devils. 

Let  us,  therefore,  being  mindful  of  these 
things  which  Christ  did  and  suffered  for  us, 
say,  as  did  a  good  man  of  old :  O  Lord,  Thou 
hast  overcome  my  pride.  Thine  example  hath 
mastered  me.  I  deliver  myself  up  into  Thy 
hands,  never  to  receive  liberty  or  exaltation  but 
in  the  condition  of  Tliy  liamble  servant. 

For  so,  in  Him  shall  we  be  taught,  by  His 
strength  enabled,  by  His  grace  prevented,  by 
His  Spirit  conducted,  by  His  death  pardoned, 
by  His  resurrection  justified,  and  by  His  inter- 
cession defended  from  all  our  enemies,  and  set 
forward  on  the  way  of  holiness  and  life  eternal. 
27 


314:         TUESDAY  BEFORE  EASTEE. 


PKATEK. 

Merciful  Saviour,  who  wert  pleased  to  de- 
scend into  a  state  of  great  misery,  to  reconcile 
us  to  Thj  Father,  and  didst  with  deep  charac- 
ters engrave  humility  into  the  spirits  of  Thy 
disciples ;  teach  me,  I  beseech  Thee,  to  imitate 
Thy  excellences  and  conform  to  Thy  sufferings ; 
give  me  the  mourning  and  sadness  of  a  true 
penitent ;  make  me  meek,  patient,  and  resigned, 
in  all  accidents  and  changes  of  Thy  providence ; 
let  me  be  willing  to  be  the  servant  of  all  men, 
feeling  for  their  necessities,  and  aiding  them  in 
their  sorrows;  and  grant  that,  despising  the 
world  and  its  vanities,  I  may  at  length  attain 
the  crown  of  righteousness,  and  reign  with 
Thee,  O  merciful  Saviour,  who  art  my  hope 
and  my  life,  my  glory  and  exceeding  great  re- 
ward.    Amen. 


WEDISTESDAY  BEFOEE  EASTER. 

THE  HOLY  COMMUNION. 

"As  often  as  ye  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this  cup,  ye  do  show 
the  Lord's  death  till  He  come."    1  Coe.  xi.  26. 

When  St.  Joseph  and  the  blessed  Yirgiii- 
Mother  had  for  a  time  lost  their  most  Holy  Son, 
they  sought  him  in  the  villages  and  the  high- 
ways, in  the  retinues  of  their  kindred,  and  the 
caravans  of  the  Galilean  pilgrims ;  but  there 
they  found  Him  not.  At  last,  almost  despair- 
ing, faint  and  sick  with  travel  and  fear,  with  de- 
sires and  tedious  expectations,  they  came  into 
the  Temple  to  pray  to  God  for  conduct  and  suc- 
cess ;  knowing  and  believing  assuredly,  that  if 
they  could  find  God,  they  should  not  long  miss 
to  find  the  Holy  Jesus.  And  their  faith  de- 
ceived them  not :  for  they  sought  God ;  and 
found  Him,  that  was  God  and  man,  in  the  midst 
and  circle  of  the  doctors.  But,  being  surprised 
with  trouble  and  wonder,  they  began  a  little  to 
expostulate  with  the  Divine  Child,  why  He 
would  be  absent  so  long,  and  leave  them  (as  it 
must  needs  be  when  He  is  absent  from  us)  in 
sorrow  and  uncertain  thoughts.     This  question 


316  WEDNESDAY   BEFORE   EASTER. 

brouglit  forth  an  answer  whicli  will  be  forever 
useful  to  all :  "  How  is  it  that  ye  have  so 
fondly  looked  for  me,  as  if  I  were  used  to  wan- 
der in  unknown  paths,  without  skill  and  without 
a  guide  ?  Did  ye  not  know  that  I  ought  to  be 
in  My  Father's  House  ?"  Tliat  is,  there,  where 
God  is  worshipped,  where  He  loves  to  dwell, 
where  He  communicates  His  blessing  and  holy 
influences :  there,  and  there  only,  we  are  sure 
to  meet  our  dearest  Lord.  For  God  hath  a 
house  below  as  well  as  above.  Here  is  His 
dwelling,  and  here  are  His  provisions;  hither 
God  sends  His  Son,  and  here  His  Son  manifests 
Himself. 

And  now,  that  we  may  know  where  to  find 
Him,  we  must  be  sure  to  look  after  Him.  He 
hath  told  us  where  He  would  be,  behind  what 
pillar,  and  under  what  cloud,  and  present  in 
what  sacrament ;  and  we  must  not  look  for  Him 
in  the  highways  of  ambition  and  pride,  of  wealth 
and  sensual  pleasure.  These  things  are  not 
found  in  the  House  of  His  Father,  neither  may 
they  come  near  His  dwelling.  But  if  we  seek 
for  Christ,  we  shall  find  Him  in  the  methods  of 
virtue,  and  the  paths  of  God's  commandments ; 
in  the  houses  of  prayer,  and  the  offices  of  reli- 
gion :  in  the  persons  of  the  poor,  and  the  retire- 
ments of  an  afllicted  soul ;  in  our  penitential 
sorrows,  and  in  the  time  of  trouble ;  in  pulpits, 
and  upon  altars ;  in  the  word,  and  in  the  sacra- 


THE   HOLY   CO]MMrNION.  317 

ments.  If  we  come  hitlier  as  we  ought,  we  are 
sure  to  find  our  Beloved — Him  whom  our  soul 
lono^eth  after. 

Sure  enough  Christ  is  here;  but  He  is  not 
here  in  every  manner,  and  therefore  is  not  to  be 
found  by  every  inquirer,  nor  touched  by  every 
hand,  nor  received  by  all  comers,  nor  enter- 
tained by  every  guest.  He  that  receives  Christ 
must  have  a  proper,  that  is  a  spiritual,  instru- 
ment, a  purified  heart,  consecrated  life,  and  a 
hallowed  mouth ;  for  a  disproportionate  instru- 
ment makes  the  effect  impossible,  both  in  nature 
and  morality.  Can  a  man  bind  a  thought  with 
chains,  or  carry  imaginations  in  the  palm  of  his 
hand  ?  Can  the  beauty  of  the  peacock's  train, 
or  the  ostrich-plume,  be  delicious  to  the  palate 
and  the  throat?  Does  the  hand  intermeddle 
with  the  joys  of  the  heart?  or  darkness,  that 
hides  the  naked,  make  him  warm  ?  Does  the 
body  live  as  does  the  spirit  ?  Or,  can  the  body 
of  Christ  be  like  to  common  food  ? 

Indeed,  the  sun  shines  upon  the  good  and 
bad  ;  and  the  vines  give  wine  to  the  drunkard 
as  well  as  to  the  sober  man :  pirates  have  fair 
winds  and  a  calm  sea  at  the  same  time  when 
the  just  and  peaceful  merchantman  hath  them. 
But  although  the  things  of  the  world  are  com- 
mon to  good  and  bad,  yet  sacraments  and  spir- 
itual joys,  the  food  of  the  soul  and  the  blessing 
of  Christ,  are  the  peculiar  right  of  saints.  The 
27« 


318  WEDNESDAY   BEFORE   EASTEK. 

rites  of  our  religion  are  to  "be  handled  by  tlie 
measures  of  religion,  and  the  things  of  God  by 
the  rules  of  the  Spirit ;  and,  therefore,  whoever 
will  partake  of  God's  secrets  must  first  look  into 
his  own :  he  must  first  pare  off  whatsoever  is 
amiss,  and  not  without  holiness  approach  to  the 
Holiest  of  Holies  ;  nor  eat  of  this  sacrifice  with 
a  defiled  hand,  nor  come  to  this  feast  without 
a  nuptial  garment.  The  Holy  Communiofi,  or 
Supper  of  the  Lord,  is  the  most  sacred  and  mys- 
terious congregation  of  secret  and  holy  things 
and  duties  in  our  religion.  And  since  all  so- 
cieties of  Christians  pretend  to  the  greatest  es- 
teem of  this,  above  all  the  rites  or  external  parts 
and  ministries  of  religion,  it  cannot  be  otherwise 
but  that  they  will  all  speak  honorable  things  of 
it,  and  suppose  holy  things  to  be  in  it,  and  great 
blessings,  one  Avay  or  other,  to  come  by  it :  and 
all  the  innumerable  differences  which  are  in  the 
discourses  and  consequent  practices  relating  to 
it  proceed  from  some  common  truths,  and  uni- 
versal notions,  and  mysterious  or  inexplicable 
words,  and  tend  all  to  reverential  thoughts  and 
pious  treatment  of  these  rites  and  holy  offices. 

But  he  that  desires  to  enter  furthest  into  the 
secrets  of  this  mystery,  and  to  understand  more 
than  others,  can  better  learn  by  love  than  by 
inquiry.  "  He  that  keepeth  the  law  of  the  Lord 
getteth  the  understanding  thereof,"  saith  the 
wise  Bensirach.     If  he  will  prepare  himself  dili- 


THE   HOLT   COMMUNION.  319 

gently,  and  carefully  observe  the  dispensations 
of  the  Spirit,  and  receive  it  humbly,  and  treat 
it  with  great  reverence,  and  dwell  in  the  com- 
munion of  saints,  and  pass  through  the  mystery 
with  great  devotion  and  purest  simplicity,  and 
converse  with  the  purities  of  the  sacrament  fre- 
quently, and  with  holy  intention — this  man  shall 
understand  more  by  his  experience,  than  the 
greatest  clerks  can  by  all  their  subtleties. 

For  all  comforts  conspire  to  meet  in  the  sa- 
crament of  the  Lord's  Supper.  In  it  the  story 
of  the  love  of  our  dearest  Lord  is  written  in 
largest  characters ;  who  not  only  was  at  that 
instant  ^busy  in  doing  man  the  greatest  good, 
even  then  when  man  was  contriving  His  death 
and  His  dishonor;  but  tried  to  represent  His 
bitter  Passion  to  us,  without  any  circumstances 
of  horror,  in  symbols  of  pleasure  and  delight ; 
that  we  may  "  taste  and  see  how  gracious  the 
Lord  is,"  who  would  not  transmit  the  record  of 
His  Passion  to  us  in  any  thing  that  might  trou- 
ble us. 

The  Body  and  Blood  of  our  Saviour,  which 
He  gave  for  the  life  of  the  world,  these  are  th'^, 
repast  of  this  Supper,  and  these  we  truly  par- 
take. For  there  is  not  only  the  visible  reception 
of  the  outward  signs,  but  an  invisible  reception 
of  the  thing  signified.  There  is  far  more  than  a 
shadow,  than  a  type,  than  a  figure.  Christ  did 
not  only  propose  a  sign  at  that  hour,  but  also  He 


320  WEDNESDAY   BEFORE   EASTEK. 

gave  us  a  Gift,  and  that  Gift  really  and  effec- 
tually is  Himself.  For  that  which  is  promised, 
and  faith  takes  it,  and  hath  it,  is  not  fiction, 
fancy,  opinion,  falsity,  but  substance  and  verity  ; 
and  spiritual  union  is  the  most  true  and  real 
union  that  can  be. 

Happy  indeed  is  that  man  that  sits  at  the  table 
of  angels,  that  puts  his  hand  into  the  dish  with 
the  King  of  all  the  creatures,  and  feeds  upon  the 
Eternal  Son  of  God,  joining  things  below  with 
things  above ;  heaven  with  earth,  life  with  death ; 
that  "  mortality  might  be  swallowed  up  of  life," 
and  sin  be  destroyed  by  the  inhabitation  of  its 
greatest  conqueror. 

And  now  I  need  not  enumerate  any  particu- 
lars; since  the  Spirit  of  God  hath  ascertained 
us,  that  Christ  enters  into  our  hearts  and  takes 
possession,  and  abides  there ;  that  we  are  made 
temples  and  celestial  mansions ;  that  we  are  all 
one  with  our  Judge,  and  with  our  Eedeemer; 
that  our  Creator  is  bound  unto  His  creatures 
with  bonds  of  charity,  which  nothing  can  dis- 
solve, unless  our  own  hands  break  them;  that 
man  is  united  with  God,  and  our  weakness  is 
fortified  by  His  strength,  and  our  miseries  wrap- 
ped up  in  the  golden  leaves  of  glory. 

Take,  therefore,  and  eat,  in  remembrance  of 
Christ.  Take,  and  fear  not,  as  Peter  did,  say- 
ing, "  Depart  from  me,  Lord  ;  for  I  am  a  sinful 


THE   HOLY   COMMUNION.  321 

man."  It  is  tlie  Lord's  delight  to  seek  and  to 
save  that  which  was  lost.  Take,  and  take  heed 
you  let  not  go  your  hold.  Take,  but  not  to  hold 
the  pleasures  of  the  world  and  your  sinful  lusts 
in  your  grasp  together.  Pine  not  away  with 
the  consumption  of  an  evil  conscience,  but  eat, 
and  be  strong  in  the  Lord  and  in  His  mercy ; 
eat,  to  show  the  Lord's  death. 

For  Christ  could  have  said,  "This  is  My 
body  slain ;  This  is  My  body  crucified :"  but  He 
had  rather  say,  "  This  is  My  body  broken  for 
yours ;"  to  show  the  great  injuries  of  His  suffer- 
ings. To  keep  them  in  fresh  and  frequent  medi- 
tation, the  Lord  hath  given  us  a  palpable  and 
signal  token ;  a  blessing  twice,  and  twenty  times 
given,  because  it  is  given  that  it  may  never  be 
forgotten.  They  that  love  others,  would  live  in 
the  memory  of  those  they  love.  It  is  because 
Christ  loves  us  entirely,  that  He  would  be  re- 
membered of  us.  And  no  friend  will  say  to 
another,  "  Eemember  me  when  I  am  gone ;"  but 
that  he  means  reciprocally  to  remember  his 
friend  to  whom  he  spake  it.  If  you  will  remem- 
ber Christ,  He  will  remember  you.  And  the 
thief  on  the  cross  will  teach  you,  that  it  is  good 
to  continue  in  His  memory.  "  Lord,  remember 
me,  when  Thou  comest  into  Thy  kingdom." 

Consider  the  noble  works  of  the  Lord,  espe- 
cially this  great  work — ^how  He  suffered  for  us 


322  WEDNESDAY   BEFOUE   EASTEE. 

unto  death.  Eemember  seriously  this  one  thing 
as  you  ought ;  and  God  will  let  you  forget  noth- 
ing that  will  do  you  good. 

Remember  it:  not  only  casting  your  eyes 
back  to  the  large  histories  of  it  in  the  Gospels, 
as  if  that  would  suffice ;  but  zealously,  practi- 
cally— and  then  every  thing  else  will  come  to 
mind  to  perfect  holiness.  For  to  consider  how 
much  Christ  loved  us,  by  how  much  He  suffered 
for  us,  will  make  us  look  upon  sin  with  horror, 
which  begat  such  torment  and  ignominy  to  the 
innocent  Lamb  of  God.  It  will  comfort  our 
weak  faith,  that  He  who  hath  done  so  great 
things  for  us  will  not  abandon  us,  and  having 
subdued  our  enemies,  will  not  let  them  renew 
the  battle  to  overcome  us.  It  will  encourage  us 
to  lay  down  our  life  for  Him,  who  hath  laid 
down  His  life  for  us. 

"''  My  meditation  of  Him  shall  be  sweet ;  1 
will  be  glad  in  the  Lord."  He  hath  drunk  up 
the  cup  of  sorrow,  that  I  might  drink  of  nothing 
but  the  cup  of  salvation. 

PEATER. 

O  Blessed  and  Eternal  Saviour,  who  gavest 
Thyself  a  sacrifice  for  our  sins,  and  hast  become 
one  with  us,  that  we  may  live  the  same  life,  and 
be  partakers  of  Thy  resurrection  and  immor- 
tality ;  grant,  I   beseech  Thee,  that  Thy  holy 


THE   HOLY   COlM^rUNIOTT.  323 

sacrament  may  be  to  me  life  and  health,  a  de- 
fence and  shield,  a  means  of  sanctiiication  and 
spiritual  growth  ;  that  receiving  the  Body  of  my 
dearest  Lord,  I  may  be  one  with  His  mystical 
Body,  united  with  indissoluble  bonds  of  a  strong 
faith,  and  a  holy  hope,  and  a  never-failing  charity, 
and  may  at  length  pass  from  feeding  upon  Thee 
spiritually  to  beholding  Thy  face  eternally, 
through  Tliy  mercy,  0  Blessed  and  Eternal 
Saviour.     Amen. 


THUESDAY  BEFOEE  EASTEE. 

THE  GAKDEN  OF  GETHSEMANE. 

'*And  being  in  an  agony  He  prayed  more  earnestly:  and  His 
sweat  was  as  it  were  great  drops  of  blood  falling  down  to  the 
ground."    Ltjkk  xxii.  44. 

The  farewell  sermon  of  our  Blessed  Lord, 
begun  when  Judas  was  gone  out,  was  rarely 
mixed  of  sadness  and  joys.  For  in  it  He  dis- 
coursed of  the  glorification  of  God  in  His  Son, 
of  those  glories  which  the  Father  had  prepared 
for  Him ;  and  of  His  sudden  departure,  to  a 
place  whither  His  disciples  could  not  come  yet, 
but  afterwards  they  sliould:  meaning,  first  to 
death,  and  then  to  glory."  He  commanded  them 
to  love  one  another ;  and  foretold  to  Peter  (who 
made  confident  protests  that  he  would  die  with 
his  Master),  "  that  before  the  cock  should  crow 
twice,  he  should  deny  Him  thrice."  He  com- 
forted them  with  the  comforts  of  faith;  and 
then,  arming  them  against  future  persecutions, 
and  giving  them  divers  holy  precepts,  He  gave 
them  His  blessing,  and  prayed  for  them ;  and, 
having  sung  a  hymn,  "  went  forth  with  His  dis- 
ciples over  the  brook  Cedron,  unto  the  Mount 


THE   GARDEN   OF   GETHSEMANE.  325 

of  Olives,  to  a  village  called  Gethsemane,  where 
there  was  a  garden,  into  which  He  entered  to 
pray  together  with  His  disciples."  "  And  taking 
Peter,  James,  and  John  apart  with  Him,  about  a 
stone's  cast"  from  the  rest,  "  He  began  to  be  ex- 
ceeding sorrowful,"  and  sad,  "  even  unto  death." 

For  now  He  saw  the  ingredients  of  His  bitter 
draught  pouring  into  the  chalice,  and  the  sight 
was  full  of  horror  and  amazement.  From  an 
evil  heart,  and  a  prevaricating  spirit,  all  our 
sins  arise ;  and  in  the  spirit  of  Christ  began  His 
sorrow,  where  He  truly  felt  the  full  value  and 
demerit  of  sin,  which  we  think  not  worthy  of  a 
tear  or  a  hearty  sigh :  but  He  groaned  and  fell 
under  the  burden.  And  it  were  highly  to  be 
wished,  that,  in  the  midst  of  our  caresses  and 
levities  of  society,  in  our  festivities  and  tri- 
umphal merriments,  when  we  laugh  at  folly 
and  rejoice  in  sin,  we  would  remember,  that 
for  those  very  merriments  our  Blessed  Lord  felt 
a  bitter  sorrow;  and  not  one  vain  and  sinful 
laughter  but  cost  the  Holy  Jesus  a  sharp  pang 
and  throe  of  passion. 

"  And  He  fell  on  His  face,  and  prayed :  O  My 
leather,  if  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup  pass  from 
Me." 

God  heard  His  prayer,  but  would  not  answer 
Him  in  kind ;  but  when  His  prayer  was  full, 
and  His  sorrow  come  to  a  great  measure,  He 
sent  His  angel  to  comfort  Him. 
28 


326  THUESDAY   BEFORE   EASTER. 

It  was  a  great  season  for  the  angel's  coming, 
because  it  was  a  great  necessity  which  was  in- 
cumbent upon  our  Lord;  for  His  sadness  and 
His  agony  was  so  great,  mingled  and  com- 
pounded of  sorrow  and  zeal,  fear  and  desire, 
innocent  nature  and  perfect  grace,  that  He 
^^  sweat  drops "  as  great  as  if  the  blood  had 
started  through  little  undiscerned  fontinels,  and 
outrun  the  streams  and  rivers  of  His  Cross. 

What  collateral  designs  and  tacit  significa- 
tions might  be  designed  by  this  mysterious 
sweat,  I  know  not.  Certainly  it  was  a  sad  be- 
ginning of  a  most  dolorous  passion.  We  have 
read  of  some  persons,  that  the  grief  and  fear  of 
one  night  hath  put  a  cover  of  snow  upon  their 
heads,  as  if  the  labors  of  thirty  years  had  been 
extracted,  and  the  quintessence  drank  off  in  the 
passion  of  that  night.  But  if  nature  had  been 
capable  of  a  greater  or  more  prodigious  impress 
of  passion  than  a  bloody  sweat,  it  must  needs 
Slave  happened  in  this  agony  of  the  Holy  Jesus, 
in  which  He  undertook  a  grief  great  enough  to 
make  up  the  imperfect  contrition  of  all  the 
saints,  and  to  satisfy  for  the  impeuitencies  of  all 
vthe  world. 

And  here,  let  us  consider,  that  it  was  to  us 
■Christ  made  this  largess  of  His  goodness ;  to  us, 
to  whom  He  made  Himself  a  brother,  paying 
the  scores  of  our  sin  and  shame.  If  we  could 
consider  this  sadly,  it  might  make  us  better  to 


THE   GARDEN   OF   GETIISEMAJTE.  327 

understand  our  madness  and  folly  in  refusing 
to  be  sorrowful,  and  to  leave  our  sins,  and  to 
make  amends  by  a  holy  life.  It  cost  our  dear- 
est Lord  the  price  of  His  dearest  blood,  many 
a  thousand  groans,  millions  of  prayers  and  sighs, 
that  we  might  be  admitted  to  repentance :  and 
surely  it  must  be  an  infinite  impiety  to  despise 
the  riches  of  such  a  goodness ;  such  a  glorious 
favor  as  is  the  issue  of  Christ's  prayers  in  heav- 
en, and  of  all  His  labors.  His  sorrows,  and  His 
suflferings  on  earth. 

For  all  that  Christ  suffered  was  to  glorify  His 
Father  by  bringing  souls  to  God ;  and  it  must 
needs  be  an  infinite  condemnation,  that  Christ, 
thy  Lord  and  Judge,  should  be  tormented  for 
nothing;  that  thou  wouldest  not  accept  felicity 
and  pardon,  when  He  purchased  them  at  so  dear 
a  price.  How  shalt  thou  one  day  look  upon 
Him  that  fainted  and  died  for  love  of  thee,  and 
thou  didst  scorn  His  miraculous  mercies  ?  How 
shall  we  dare  to  behold  that  lovely  Face  that 
brought  salvation  to  us,  and  we  turned  away 
and  fell  in  love  with  death,  and  kissed  deform- 
ity and  sins?  All  the  pains  and  passions,  the 
sorrows  and  the  groiins,  of  Jesus,  shall  be  laid 
upon  thy  score,  if  thou  hast  refused  the  mercies 
and  designs  of  all  their  holy  ends  and  purposes. 

For  things  are  so  ordered,  and  so  great  a  value 
set  upon  our  souls,  since  they  are  the  images  of 
God  and  redeemed  by  the  blood  of  the  Holy 


328  THUKSDAT   BEFORE   EASTER. 

Lamb,  that  tlie  salvation  of  our  souls  is  reck- 
oned as  a  part  of  Christ's  reward — a  part  of  the 
glorification  of  His  humanity.  Every  sinner 
that  repents  causes  joy  to  Christ,  and  the  joy 
is  so  great  that  it  runs  over  and  whets  the  fair 
browns  and  beauteous  locks  of  cherubim  and 
seraphim,  and  all  the  angels  have  a  part  of  that 
banquet.  Then  it  is  that  our  blessed  Lord  feels 
the  acceptation  of  His  holy  sacrifice,  the  gra- 
ciousness  of  His  person,  the  return  of  His 
prayers.  And  what  man  is  there  so  vile  that 
will  refuse  to  bring  joy  to  his  Lord,  by  doing 
himself  the  greatest  good  in  the  world  ?  They 
who  refuse  to  do  this  are  said  to  "  crucify  the 
Lord  of  life  again,  and  put  Him  to  an  open 
shame ;"  that  is,  they,  as  much  as  in  them  lies, 
bring  Christ  from  His  glorious  joys  to  the  labors 
of  His  life,  and  the  shame  of  His  death ;  they 
advance  His  enemies  and  refuse  to  advance  the 
kingdom  of  their  Lord  ;  they  put  themselves  in 
that  state  in  which  they  were  when  Christ  came 
to  die  for  them ;  and  now  that  He  is  in  a  state 
that  He  may  rejoice  over  them  (for  He  hath  done 
all  His  share  towards  it),  every  wicked  man  takes 
his  head  from  the  blessing,  and  rather  chooses 
that  the  devil  sliould  rejoice  in  his  destruction 
than  that  his  Lord  should  triumph  in  his  felicity. 
O  consider,  therefore,  deeply,  what  Christ 
hath  done  for  thy  soul ;  what  glories  He  laid 
aside,  with  what  meanness  He  was  invested, 


THE   GARDEN   OF   GETHSEMANE.  329 

wliat  pains  He  suffered,  what  rare  arts  lie  used 
to  save  thee;  and  remember,  that  the  guilt  of 
eternal  damnation,  which  we  have  all  incurred, 
was  a  great  and  intolerable  evil,  and  unavoid- 
able if  such  miracles  of  mercy  liad  not  been 
wrought  to  take  it  quite  away. 

A  greater  love  than  this  could  not  be ;  and  a 
less  love  than  this  could  not  have  rescued  us. 


PRAYER. 

O  Holy  Saviour,  who  for  our  sakes  didst  suf- 
fer immeasurable  anguish  and  pain,  that  Thou 
mightest  purchase  for  us  blessings  upon  earth, 
and  an  eternal  inheritance  in  Heaven ;  dispose 
me,  I  beseech  Thee,  by  contrition,  and  by  love, 
to  receive  the  benefit  of  Thy  Passion.  Pity  me, 
O  Lord ;  pity  me.  Turn  Thy  merciful  eyes 
towards  me,  O  most  merciful  Redeemer;  for 
my  sins  are  great,  like  unto  Thy  Passion  ;  full 
of  sorrow  and  shame,  and  a  burden  too  great  for 
me  to  bear.  O  teach  me  to  hate  the  cause  of 
Thy  agony,  and  to  love  Thee  to  the  uttermost 
extent  of  my  affections ;  and  grant,  that  in  this 
life,  suffering  the  sorrows  of  a  sad  repentance  in 
the  union  and  merits  of  Thy  Passion,  I  may  die 
with  Thee,  and  rest  with  Thee,  and  rise  again 
with  Thee,  and  live  with  Thee  forever  in  the 
possession  of  Thy  glories  ;  O  most  merciful  and 
gracious  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ.  Amen. 
28« 


GOOD  FEIDAY. 

THE  CKUCIFIXION. 

'  And  when  they  were  come  to  the  place,  which  is  called  Calvary, 
there  they  crucified  Him,  and  the  malefactors,  one  on  the 
right  hand,  and  the  other  on  the  left."    Luke  xxiii.  33. 

When  the  sentence  of  death  pronounced 
against  our  blessed  Lord  was  to  be  put  in  exe- 
cution, the  soldiers  pulled  oif  the  robe  of  mock- 
ery, the  scarlet  mantle,  which  in  jest  they  put 
upon  Him,  and  put  on  His  own  garments.  But 
they  took  not  ofT  the  crown  of  thorns  ;  for  so  it 
became  the  King  of  suffering  not  to  lay  aside 
His  imperial  thorns,  till  they  were  changed  into 
diadems  of  glory. 

And  now  was  Abel  led  forth  by  his  brother 
to  be  slain ;  a  gay  spectacle  to  satisfy  impious 
eyes.  Sin  laughed  to  see  the  King  of  heaven 
and  earth,  and  the  great  lover  of  souls,  instead 
of  the  sceptre  of  His  kingdom,  to  bear  a  tree  of 
cursing  and  shame.  But  Piety  wept  tears  of 
pity,  and  knew  they  would  melt  into  joy,  when 
she  should  behold  that  cross,  which  loaded  the 
shoulders  of  her  Lord,  afterwards  set  upon  the 
sceptres,  and  be  engraved  and  signed  upon  the 
foreheads  of  kings. 


TFIE    CRUCIFrXTON.  ^31 

It  cannot  be  thought,  bat  the  ministers  of 
Jewish  malice  used  all  the  circumstances  of 
affliction,  which,  in  any  case,  were  accustomed 
towards  malefactors,  and  persons  to  be  cruci- 
fied ;  and  therefore  it  was,  that  in  some  old 
figures,  we  see  our  Blessed  Lord  described  with 
a  label  appendant  to  the  fringe  of  His  garment 
set  full  of  nails  and  pointed  iron ;  for  so  some- 
times they  afflicted  j)ersons  condemned  to  that 
kind  of  death.  The  accidents  of  His  journey, 
and  their  malice,  so  crushed  his  wounded  tender 
body,  that  they  were  forced  to  lay  the  load  of 
the  cross  upon  a  Cyrenian,  fearing  that  He 
should  die  with  less  shame  and  smart  than  they 
intended  Him.  And  so  He  was  pleased  to  take 
man  unto  His  aid,  not  only  to  represent  His  own 
need,  and  the  dolorousness  of  His  Passion,  but 
to  consign  the  duty  unto  man,  that  we  must 
enter  into  a  fellowship  of  Christ's  sufferings, 
taking  up  the  cross  of  martyrdom  w^hen  God  re- 
quires us,  enduring  affronts,  being  patient  under 
affliction,  loving  them  that  hate  us,  and  being 
benefactors  to  our  enemies,  mortifying  our  de- 
sires, breaking  our  own  will,  not  seeking  our- 
selves, being  entirely  resigned  to  God.  These 
are  the  cross  and  the  nails,  and  the  spear,  and 
the  whip,  and  all  the  instruments  of  a  Christian's 
passion.  And  we  may  consider  that  every  man 
in  this  world  shall,  in  some  sense  or  other,  bear 
a  cross.     Few  men  escape  it,  and  it  is  not  well 


332  GOOD   FEIDAY. 

with  tliem  that  do :  but  they  only  bear  it  well 
that  follow  Christ,  and  tread  in  His  steps,  and 
bear  it  for  His  sake,  and  walk  as  He  walked. 

By  the  precept  of  "  bearing  the  cross,"  we  are 
not  tied  to  pull  evil  upon  ourselves,  that  we 
may  imitate  our  Lord  in  nothing  but  in  being 
afflicted,  but  it  is  required  that  "  we  bear  our 
own  cross ;"  so  said  our  dearest  Lord.  For  when 
the  cross  of  Christ  is  laid  upon  us,  and  we  are 
called  to  martyrdom,  then  it  is  our  own,  because 
God  made  it  to  be  our  portion ;  and  when,  by 
the  necessities  of  our  spirit,  and  the  rebellion  of » 
our  body,  we  need  exterior  mortifications  and 
acts  of  self-denial,  then  also  it  is  our  own  cross, 
because  our  needs  have  made  it  so  ;  and  so  it  is 
when  God  sends  us  sickness,  or  any  other  calam- 
ity which  calls  for  our  sufferance,  and  patience 
and  equanimity.  For,  "therefore  Christ  hath 
suffered  for  us,"  saith  St.  Peter,  "  leaving  us  an 
example,  that  we  should  follow  His  steps,"  who 
bore  His  cross  as  long  as  He  could ;  and  when 
He  could  no  longer.  He  murmured  not,  but  sank 
under  it ;  and  then  He  was  content  to  receive 
such  aid,  not  which  He  chose  Himself,  but  such 
as  was  assigned  Him. 

Jesus  was  led  out  of  the  gates  of  Jerusalem, 
that  He  might  become  the  sacrifice  for  persons 
without  the  pale,  even  for  all  the  world :  and 
the  daughters  of  Jerusalem  followed  Him  with 
pious  tears  till  they  came  to  Calvary — a  place 


THE   CRUCIFIXION.  333 

difficult  in  the  ascent,  eminent  and  apt  for  the 
publication  of  shame,  a  hill  of  death  and  dead 
bones,  polluted  and  impure — and  there  beheld 
Him  stripped  naked  who  clothes  the  fields  with 
flowers  and  all  the  world  with  robes,  and  the 
whole  globe  with  the  canopy  of  heaven.  And 
60  must  we  be  despoiled  of  all  our  exterior  ad- 
herences,  that  we  may  pass  through  the  regions 
of  duty  and  divine  love  to  a  society  of  blessed 
spirits  and  an  immortal  and  beatified  estate. 
There  they  nailed  Jesus  with  four  nails,  and 
fixed  His  cross  in  the  ground, — which,  with  its 
fall  into  the  place  of  its  station,  gave  infinite  tor- 
ture, by  so  violent  a  concussion  of  the  body  of 
our  Lord,  which  rested  upon  nothing  but  four 
great  wounds, — where  he  was  designed  to  suffer^ 
a  long  and  lingering  torment.  For  crucifixion, 
as  it  was  a  pain  sharp  and  passionate,  so  it  was 
not  of  quick  efi'ect  towards  taking  away  the  life. 
And  now  behold  the  Priest  and  the  Sacrifice 
of  all  the  world  laid  upon  the  Altar  of  the  Cross, 
bleeding  and  tortured,  and  dying  to  reconcile 
His  Father  to  us.  And  he  was  arrayed  with 
ornaments  more  glorious  than  those  of  Aaron. 
The  crown  of  thorns  was  His  mitre,  the  cross 
His  pastoral  staff,  the  nails  j)iercing  His  hands 
were  instead  of  rings,  the  ancient  ornaments  of 
priests ;  but  as  this  object  calls  for  our  devotion, 
our  love,  and  eucharist  to  our  dearest  Lord,  so 
it  must  needs  irreconcile  us  to  sm,  which,  in  the 


834  GOOD    FEIDAT. 

/ 

eyes  of  all  the  world,  brought  so  great  shame 
and  pain  and  amazement  upon  the  Son  of  God. 

In  the  midst  of  two  thieves,  three  long  hours 
the  Holy  Jesus  hung,  clothed  with  pain,  agony, 
and  dishonor — all  of  them  so  eminent  and  vast 
that  He,  who  could  not  but  hope,  whose  soul 
was  enchased  with  divinity,  and  dwelt  in  the 
bosom  of  God,  and  in  the  cabinet  of  the  myste- 
rious Trinitv,  yet  had  a  cloud  of  misery  so  thick 
and  black  drawn  before  Him,  that  He  com- 
plained as  if  God  had  forsaken  Him.  But  this 
was  the  "  pillar  of  the  cloud"  which  conducted 
Israel  into  Canaan.  And  as  God  behind  the 
cloud  supported  the  Holy  Jesus,  and  stood  ready 
to  receive  Him  into  the  union  of  His  glories  ;  so 
His  soul,  in  that  great  desertion,  liad  internal 
comforts,  proceeding  from  consideration  of  all 
those  excellent  persons  which  should  be  adopted 
into  the  fellowship  of  His  sufferings,  which 
should  imitate  His  graces,  which  should  com- 
municate His  glories.  And  we  follow  this  cloud 
to  our  country,  having  Christ  for  our  guide ; 
and  though  He  trod  the  way  leaning  uj)on  the 
cross,  which  like  the  staff  of  Egypt  pierced  His 
hands ;  yet  it  is  to  lis  a  comfort  and  support, 
pleasant  to  our  spirits  as  the  sweetest  canes, 
strong  as  the  pillars  of  the  earth,  and  made  apt 
for  our  use  by  having  been  borne  and  made 
smooth  by  the  hands  of  our  Elder  Brother. 

In  the  midst  of  all  His  torments,  Jesus  only 


THE   CRUCIFIXION.  335 

made  one  prayer  of  sorrow,  to  represent  His 
sad  condition  to  His  Father ;  but  no  accent  of 
mnrnuir,  no  syllable  of  anger,  against  His  ene- 
mies. Instead  of  that.  He  sent  up  a  holy,  cliar- 
itable,  and  effective  prayer  for  their  forgiveness, 
and  by  that  prayer,  obtained  of  God  that,  within 
fifty-five  days,  eight  thousand  of  His  enemies 
were  converted.  And,  by  this  instance,  our 
Blessed  Lord  consigned  that  duty  to  us,  which, 
in  His  sermons.  He  had  preached,  that  we  should 
forgive  our  enemies,  and  pray  for  them ;  and  by 
so  doing,  ourselves  are  freed  from  the  stings  of 
anger,  and  the  storms  of  a  revengeful  spirit ;  and 
we  oftentimes  procure  servants  to  God,  friends 
to  ourselves,  and  heirs  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
Of  the  two  thieves  who  were  crucified  together 
with  our  Lord,  the  one  blasphemed  ;  the  other 
had,  at  that  time,  the  greatest  piety  in  the  world, 
except  that  of  the  blessed  Yirgin,  and  particu- 
larly had  such  a  faith,  that  all  the  ages  of  the 
Church  could  never  show  the  like.  For  when 
he  saw  Christ  "  in  the  same  condemnation"  with 
himself,  crucified  by  the  Romans,  accused  and 
scorned  by  the  Jews,  forsaken  by  His  own  Apos- 
tles, a  dying  distressed  man  doing  at  that  time 
no  miracles  to  attest  His  divinity  or  innocence ; 
yet  then  he  confessed  Him  to  be  a  Lord,  and  a 
King,  and  his  Saviour ;  he  prayed  to  Him,  he 
hoped  in  Him,  and  pitied  Him ;  showing  an 
excellent  patience  in  this  sad  condition.     And 


336  GOOD   FEIDAT. 

in  this  I  consider  that,  besides  the  excellency  of 
some  of  these  acts,  and  the  goodness  of  all,  the 
like  occasion  for  so  exemplary  a  faith  can  never 
occur ;  and  until  all  these  things  shall,  in  these 
circumstances,  meet  in  any  one  man,  he  must 
not  hope  for  so  safe  an  exit,  after  an  evil  life, 
upon  the  confidence  of  this  example. 

By  the  cross  of  Christ  stood  the  holy  Yirgin- 
Mother,  upon  whom  old  Simeon's  prophecy  was 
now  verified ;  for  now  she  felt  "  a  sword  passing 
through  her  very  soul."  She  stood  sad,  silent, 
and  with  a  modest  grief,  deep  as  the  waters  of 
the  abyss,  but  smooth  as  the  face  of  a  pool ; 
full  of  love,  and  patience,  and  sorrow,  and  hope. 
IS^ow  she  was  put  to  it,  to  make  use  of  all  those 
excellent  discourses  her  Holy  Son  had  used  to 
build  up  her  spirit,  and  fortify  against  this  day. 
ITow  she  felt  the  blessings  and  strength  of  faith, 
and  she  passed  from  the  griefs  of  the  Passion  to 
the  expectation  of  the  Resurrection ;  and  she 
rested  in  this  death  as  in  a  sad  remedy,  for  she 
knew  it  reconciled  God  with  all  the  world. 

But  her  hope  drew  a  veil  before  her  sorrow ; 
and  though  her  grief  was  great  enough  to  swal- 
low her  up,  yet  her  love  was  greater,  and  did 
swallow  up  her  grief.  But  the  sun  also  had  a 
veil  upon  his  face,  and  taught  us  to  draw  a  cur- 
tain before  the  Passion,  which  would  be  the  most 
artificial  expression  of  its  greatness ;  while,  by 
silence  and  wonder,  we  confess  it  great  beyond 


THE  CRUCIFIXION.  337 

onr  expression,  or-,  what  is  all  one,  great  as  the 
burden  and  baseness  of  our  sins. 

And  with  this  veil  drawn  before  the  face  of 
Jesus,  let  us  suppose  Him  at  the  gates  of  Para- 
dise, calling  with  His  last  words  in  a  loud  voice, 
to  have  tliem  opened,  that  "  the  King  of  glory 
might  come  in." 

PRATER. 

Almighty  and  Eternal  God,  the  Fountain  of 
all  virtue,  the  Support  of  all  holy  hopes,  the 
Author  of  pardon,  of  life,  and  of  salvation ;  Thou 
art  the  Comforter  of  all  that  call  upon  Thee ; 
Thou  hast  concluded  all  under  sin,  that  Tliou 
mightest  have  mercy  upon  all. 

Look  upon  me,  O  God,  and  have  pity  upon 
me,  lying  in  my  misery,  and  shame,  and  sin,  in 
the  fear  and  guilt  of  Thy  wrath,  in  the  shadow 
of  death  and  the  gates  of  hell.  Yery  great  are 
my  sins,  yet  infinitely  less  than  Tliy  mercies, 
which  Thou  hast  revealed  to  all  penitent  and 
returning  sinners  in  Jesus  Christ. 

O  let  the  -cry  of  Thy  Son's  blood,  who  offers 
an  eternal  sacrifice  to  Thee,  speak  on  my  behalf. 
My  conscience  does  accuse  me,  and  Thy  Holy 
Spirit  is  grieved  by  me ;  but  Christ,  my  Saviour, 
died  for  me,  and  Thou  pitiest  me  ;  and  Thy  Holy 
Spirit  still  calls  upon  me.  O  draw  me  unto 
Thee  by  the  endearments  of  Thy  mercies,  by  the 
love  of  Thy  Son,  and  the  grace  of  Thy  Spirit. 
29 


338  GOOD  FKIDAY. 

I  am  not  worthy,  O  Lord ;  I  am  not  worthy 
to  come  into  Thy  presence.  My  sins,  O  Blessed 
Saviour,  joined  in  confederation  with  the  high 
priests,  in  treachery  with  Judas,  in  injustice 
with  Pilate,  in  malice  with  the  people. 

My  sins  and  the  Jews  crucified  Tliee  ;  my 
hypocrisy  was  the  kiss  that  betrayed  Thee  ;  my 
covetous  and  ambitious  desires  were  the  thorns 
that  pricked  Thy  sacred  Head  ;  my  vanity  was 
the  knee  that  mocked  Thee ;  my  anger  and 
malice,  my  peevishness  and  revenge,  were  the 
gall  which  Thou  didst  taste ;  my  bitter  words 
were  the  vinegar  which  Thou  didst  drink  ;  and 
my  scarlet  sins  made  for  thee  a  purple  robe  of 
mockery  and  derision :  and  where  shall  I,  miser- 
able sinner,  appear,  who  have  put  my  Lord  to 
death,  and  exposed  Him  to  an  open  shame? 

"Where  should  I  appear,  but  before  my  Sav- 
iour, who  died  for  them  that  have  murdered 
Him,  who  hath  loved  them  that  hated  Him,  who 
is  the  Saviour  of  His  enemies,  and  the  Life  of 
the  dead,  the  Redemption  of  captives,  and  the 
Advocate  for  sinners,  and  all  that  we  do  need, 
and  all  that  we  can  desire. 

Grant,  that  in  Thy  wounds  I  may  find  my 
safety ;  in  Thy  stripes,  my  cure ;  in  Thy  pain,  my 
peace  ;  in  Tliy  cross,  my  victory  ;  in  Thy  resur- 
rection, my  triumph  ;  and  a  crown  of  righteous- 
ness in  the  glories  of  Thy  Eternal  Kingdom. 
Amen,  Amen. 


EASTER  EYE]^. 

THE  INTERMEDIATE  STATE. 
"  To-day  shalt  thou  be  with  Me  in  paradise."     Luke  xxiii.  43. 

OuE  blessed  Saviour  told  the  converted  thief, 
that  he  should  "  that  day  be  with  Him  in  para- 
dise." Kow,  without  jDeradventure,  Christ  spake 
Bo  as  He  was  to  be  understood :  meaning  bj 
"  Paradise,"  that  which  the  schools  and  pulpits 
of  the  Eabbins  did  usually  speak  of  it.  By 
j)aradise,  till  the  time  of  Esdras,  it  is  certain, 
the  Jews  only  meant  the  blessed  garden  in 
which  God  placed  Adam  and  Eve ;  but  in  the 
time  of  Esdras,  and  so  downward,  when  they 
spake  distinctly  of  things  to  happen  after  this 
life,  they  called  the  state  of  souls,  expecting  the 
resurrection  of  their  bodies,  by  the  name  of 
"  the  garden  of  Eden."  Hence  came  that  form 
of  comprecation  and  blessing  to  the  soul  of  an 
Israelite,  ''Let  his  soul  be  in  the  garden  of 
Eden."  And  in  their  solemn  prayers,  at  the 
time  of  their  death,  they  were  wont  to  say, 
"Let  his  soul  rest;  and  let  his  sleep  be  in 
peace,  until  the  Comforter  shall  come,  and  open 


340  EASTER   EVEN. 

the  gates  of  paradise  unto  liim :"  expressly  dis- 
tinguishing paradise  from  the  state  of  the  resur- 
rection. 

But  although  the  state  of  separation  may  now 
also  be,  and  is  by  St.  John  called  paradise,  yet 
the  spirits  of  good  men  are  not  said  "  to  be  with 
Abraham,"  but  "to  be  with  Christ."  So  St. 
Stephen  prayed,  "  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spir- 
it ;"  and  St.  Paul  said,  "  I  desire  to  be  dissolved, 
and  to  be  with  Christ ;"  and  upon  this  account 
(and  it  is  not  at  all  unreasonable),  the  Church 
hath  conjectured  that  the  state  of  separate  souls, 
since  the  glorification  of  our  Lord,  is  much  bet- 
tered and  advanced,  and  their  comforts  greater. 
For,  concerning  the  patriarchs,  prophets,  and 
holy  men  of  God,  St.  Paul  affirms  expressly, 
that  "the  fathers  received  not  the  promises:" 
God  having  provided  some  better  things  for  us, 
that  they,  without  us,  should  not  be  made  per- 
fect. Their  condition  was  a  state  of  imperfec- 
tion :  they  were  placed  in  paradise,  "  in  Abra- 
ham's bosom :"  but  they  sat  in  the  regions  of 
darkness,  expecting  that  great  promise  made  to 
Adam  and  the  pjatriarchs — the  promise  of  the 
Messias.  But  when  He  that  was  promised 
came,  He  preached  to  the  "  spirits  in  prison," 
and  "  communicated  to  them  the  mysteries  of 
the  Gospel,"  and  taught  them  to  look  up  to  the 
glories  purchased  by  His  Passion;  and  made 
the  term  of  their  expectation  be  His  second 


THE  inter:mediate  state.  34:1 

coming,  and  tlie  objects  of  their  hope  the  glories 
of  the  beatific  vision. 

For  while  the  friends  and  disciples  of  the  holy 
Jesus,  having  devoutly  composed  his  body  to 
burial,  laid  it  in  a  sepulchre  hewn  from  a  rock 
in  a  garden  (which,  saith  Euthymius,  was  there- 
fore done,  to  represent  that  we  were  by  this 
death  returned  to  paradise,  and  the  gardens  of 
pleasures  and  divine  favors,  from  whence,  by 
the  sin  of  Adam,  man  was  expelled),  in  the  dark 
and  undiscerned  mansions  there  was  a  scene  of 
the  greatest  joy  and  greatest  horror  represented, 
which  yet  was  known  since  the  first  falling  of 
the  morning  stars.  Those  holy  souls,  whom  the 
prophet  Zechariah  calls  "prisoners  of  hope," 
lying  in  the  lake  where  there  is  no  water,  that 
is,  no  constant  stream  of  joy  to  refresh  their 
present  condition  (yet  supported  wath  certain 
showers  and  gracious  visitations  from  God),  now 
that  they  saw  their  Redeemer  come  to  change 
their  condition,  and  to  improve  it  into  the  neigh- 
borhood of  glory  and  clearer  revelations,  must 
needs  have  had  the  joy  of  redeemed  cajDtives,  of 
men  forgiven  after  the  sentence  of  death,  of 
men  satisfied  after  a  tedious  expectation,  enjoy- 
ing and  seeing  their  Lord,  whom,  for  so  many 
ages,  they  had  expected. 

But  the  accursed  spirits  saw  the  darkness  of 
their  prison  shine  with  a  new  light,  and  their 
'  empire  invaded,  and  their  retirements  of  horror 
29* 


34:2  EASTER  EVEN. 

discovered,  arid  wondered  how  a  man  durst  ven- 
ture thither ;  or,  if  He  were  God,  how  He  should 
come  to  die. 

For  as  it  is  intimated  in  a  parable,  that  be- 
tween good  and  evil  spirits,  even  in  the  state  of 
separation,  there  is  distance  of  place ;  certain  it 
is  there  is  great  distance  of  condition  ;  and  now, 
as  the  holy  souls  in  their  regions  of  light  are  full 
of  love,  joy,  hope,  and  longing  for  the  coming  of 
the  great  day  ;  so  the  accursed  do  expect  it  with 
an  insupportable  amazement. 

But  "  blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the 
Lord ;"  for  the  souls  of  saints  are  with  Christ. 
And  although  our  dead  are  like  persons  banished 
from  this  world,  yet  they  are  not  expelled  from 
God :  they  are  "  in  the  hands  of  Christ ;"  they 
are  "  in  His  presence ;"  they  are,  or  shall  be 
clothed  with  a  house  of  God's  making;  "they 
rest  from  their  labors ;"  "  all  tears  are  wiped 
from  their  eyes,"  and  all  discontents  from  their 
spirits  ;  and,  in  the  state  of  separation,  before  the 
soul  be  re-invested  with  her  new  house,  their 
spirits  are  with  God,  so  secured,  and  so  blessed, 
and  so  sealed  up  for  glory,  that  this  state  of  in- 
terval and  imperfection  is,  in  respect  of  its  cer- 
tain event  and  end,  infinitely  more  desirable  than 
all  the  riches,  and  all  the  pleasures,  and  all  the 
vanities,  and  all  the  kingdoms  of  this  world.  To 
which  1  add  this  consideration,  that  our  souls 
have  the  same  condition  that  Christ's  soul  had  in 


THE   INTERMEDIATE   STATE.  343 

the  state  of  separation,  because  He  took  on  Him 
all  our  nature  and  all  our  condition  ;  and  it  is 
certain  Christ's  soul,  in  the  three  days  of  his 
separation,  did  exercise  acts  of  life,  of  joy,  and 
triumph,  and  did  not  sleep,  but  visited  the  souls 
of  the  fathers,  trampled  upon  the  pride  of  devils, 
and  satisfied  those  longing  souls  which  were 
prisoners  of  hope.  And  from  all  this  we  may 
conclude,  that  the  souls  of  all  the  servants  of 
Christ  are  alive,  and  therefore  do  the  actions  of 
life,  and  proper  to  their  state  ;  and  therefore  it  is 
highly  probable  that  the  soul  works  clearer,  and 
understands  brighter,  and  discourses  wiser,  and 
rejoices  louder,  and  loves  nobler,  and  desires 
purer,  and  hopes  stronger,  than  it  can  do  here. 

For  the  godly  indeed  descend  into  their  graves, 
and  shall  no  more  be  reckoned  among  the  living, 
and  they  have  no  concernment  in  all  that  is  done 
under  the  sun  ;  but  we  must  not  so  live  as  if  our 
dead  were  perished,  but  so  as  pressing  forward  to 
the  most  intimate  particij)ation  of  the  communion 
of  saints. 

Remember  that  we  shall  converse  together 
again  ;  let  us  therefore  never  do  any  thing  of 
reference,  to  them,  which  we  shall  be  ashamed 
of  in  that  day  when  all  secrets  shall  be  discover- 
ed, and  when  we  shall  meet  again  in  the  presence 
of  God. 

For  certain  it  is,  that  though  our  dead  friends' 
affection  to  us  is  not  to  be  estimated  according 


344  EASTER  EYEN. 

to  our  low  conception,  yet  it  is  not  less,  but 
mucli  more  than  ever  it  was;  it  is  greater  in 
degree,  and  of  another  kind ;  and,  although  we 
have  liberty  to  contract  new  relations,  yet  I  do 
not  find  we  have  liberty  to  cast  off  the  old,  as  if 
there  were  no  such  thing  as  immortality  of  souls. 
It  is  true  they  envy  not,  and  they  lie  in.  a  bosom 
where  there  can  be  no  murmur  ;  but  we  should 
do  well  to  consider  that  although  they  are  to  us 
like  "  water  spilt ;"  yet  to  God  they  are  as  water 
fallen  in  the  sea,  safe  and  united  in  His  compre- 
bension  and  inclosures ;  and  that  God  watcheth 
concerning  all  their  interest,  and  will  in  His  time 
both  discover  and  recompense. 

The  condition  of  the  saints  that  sleep  is  more- 
over well  intimated  by  their  being  said  to  be 
under  the  altar  ;  that  is,  under  the  protection  of 
Christ,  under  the  powers  and  benefits  of  His 
priesthood,  by  which  He  makes  continual  inter- 
cession both  for  them  and  for  us.  This  place 
some  of  the  old  doctors  understood  too  literally, 
and  from  hence  they  believed  that  the  souls  of 
departed  saints  were  under  their  material  altars. 
But,  better  than  this,  their  state  is  described  by 
St.  John  in  these  words ;  "  Therefore  they  are 
before  the  throne  of  God,  and  serve  Him  night 
and  day  in  His  temple ;  and  He  that  sits  upon 
the  throne  shall  dwell  among  them." 

"With  which  general  words,  as  being  modest 
bounds  to  our  inquiries,  enough  to  tell  us  it  is 


THE   INTERMEDIATE   STATE.  345 

rarely  well,  but  enough  also  to  cliastisc  all  curious 
questions,  let  us  remain  content ;  and  labor  with 
faith  and  patience,  with  hope  and  charity,  to  be 
made  worthy  to  partake  of  those  comforts,  after 
which,  when  we  have  long  inquired,  when  at 
last  we  come  to  try  what  they  are,  we  shall  find 
them  much  better  and  much  otherwise  than  w^e 
imagine. 

And  now,  let  us  awhile  consider  that  God  is 
our  God  when  we  die,  if  we  be  His  servants 
while  we  live ;  and  therefore  we  may  die  with 
confidence  if  we  die  with  a  good  conscience. 
We  have  no  cause  of  fear,  if  we  have  just 
grounds  to  hope  for  pardon.  The  Turks  have 
a  saying,  that  the  Christians  do  not  believe 
themselves  when  they  talk  such  glorious  things 
of  Heaven  and  the  state  of  separation;  for,  if 
they  did,  they  would  not  be  so  afraid  to  die. 
But  they  do  not  so  well  consider  that  Christians 
believe  all  this  well  enough ;  but  they  believe 
better  than  they  live ;  and  therefore  they  believe 
and  tremble,  because  they  do  not  live  after  the 
rate  of  going  to  Heaven. 

It  is  no  w^onder  to  see  men  so  unwilling  to 
die,  to  be  afraid  to  make  their  will,  to  be  impa- 
tient of  the  thought  of  death.  He  that  is  fit  to 
die  must  have  long  dwelt  with  it,  must  handle 
it  on  all  sides,  must  feel  whether  the  sting  l)e 
taken  out :  he  must  examine  whether  "  lie  be 
in  Chi'ist ;"  that  is,  whether  he  be  a  new  crea- 


346  EASTEK   EYEN. 

ture.  And,  indeed,  I  do  not  so  much  wonder 
that  any  man  fears  to  die,  as  when  I  see  a 
careless  and  a  wicked  person  descend  to  his 
grave  with  as  much  indifference  as  he  goes  to 
sleep — that  is,  with  no  other  trouble  than  that 
he  leaves  the  world,  but  he  does  not  fear  to  die ; 
and  yet,  upon  the  instant  of  his  dissolution,  he 
goes  into  the  common  receptacle  of  souls,  where 
nothing  can  be  addressed  to  him  but  the  con- 
sequence of  what  he  brings  along  with  him,  and 
he  shall  presently  know  whether  he  be  saved  or 
damned. 

If  we  could  now  place  ourselves,  by  holy 
meditation,  in  the  circumstances  of  that  condi- 
tion, and  consider  what  we  should  then  think, 
it  could  not  be  but  we  must  grow  wiser  on  a 
sudden,  despise  the  world,  betake  ourselves  to 
a  strict  religion,  reject  all  vanities  of  spirit,  and 
"  be  sober  and  watch  unto  prayer." 

Now  it  is  well  with  us,  and  we  may  yet  secure 
it  shall  be  well  with  us  forever ;  but  within  an 
hour  it  may  be  otherwise  with  any  of  us  all, 
who  do  not  instantly  take  courses  of  security. 
But  he  that  does  not,  would,  in  such  a  change, 
soon  come  to  wish  that  he  might  exchange  his 
state  with  the  meanest,  with  the  miserablest,  of 
all  mankind  ;  with  galley-slaves  and  miners, 
with  men  condemned  to  tortures  for  a  good  con- 
science. 

In  the  day  of  felling  timber,  the  shrub  and 


I 


THE   INTERMEDIATE   STATE.  347 

the  bramble  are  better  than  the  tallest  fir,  or 
the  goodliest  cedar:  and  a  poor  saint,  wliose 
soul  is  in  the  hand  of  Jesus,  placed  under  the 
altar,  over  which  our  High  Priest,  like  the  cher- 
ubim over  the  propitiatory,  intercedes  perpet- 
ually for  the  hastening  of  His  glory,  is  better 
than  the  greatest  tyrant,  who,  if  he  dies,  is  un- 
done forever.  For,  in  the  interval,  there  shall 
be  rest  and  comfort  to  the  one ;  and  torment 
and  amazement  to  the  other:  and  the  day  of 
judgment  will  come,  and  it  shall  appear  to  all 
the  world,  that  they,  whose  joys  were  not  in 
this  w^orld,  were  not,  "  of  all  men,  most  misera- 
ble ;"  because  their  joys  and  their  life  were  hid 
with  Christ  in  God,  and  at  the  resurrection  of 
the  just  shall  be  brought  forth,  and  be  illustri- 
ous, beyond  all  the  beauties  of  the  world. 

"We  have  heard  Moses  and  the  prophets,  let 
us  also  hear  the  dead.  Being  dead,  they  yet 
do  speak,  and  call  upon  us  to  live  well,  and  to 
live  quickly,  to  watch  perpetually,  and  to  work 
assiduously ;  for  we  shall  descend  into  the  same 
shadows  of  death. 

"Thou  must  leave  thy  rich  land,  and  thy 
well-built  house,  and  thy  pleasing  wnfe ;  and,  of 
all  the  trees  of  thy  orchard  or  thy  wood,  noth- 
ing shall  attend  thee  to  the  grave,  but  oak  for 
thy  coffin,  and  cypress  for  thy  funeral."  It 
shall  not  then  be  inquired  how  long  thou  hast 
lived,  but  how  well.     None  below  shall  be  con- 


348  EASTER   EVEN. 

cerned,  whether  thou  wert  rich  or  poor ;  but  all 
the  spirits  of  light  and  darkness  shall  be  busy 
in  the  scrutiny  of  thy  life.  For  the  good  angels 
would  fain  carry  thy  soul  to  Christ ;  and  if  they 
do,  the  devils  will  follow,  and  accuse  thee  there ; 
and  when  thou  appearest  before  the  Righteous 
Judge,  what  will  become  of  thee,  unless  Christ 
be  thy  Advocate,  and  God  be  merciful  and  ap- 
peased, and  the  angels  be  thy  guards,  and  a  holy 
conscience  be  thy  comfort  ? 

There  will  to  every  one  of  us  come  a  time 
when  we  shall  with  great  passion  and  great 
interest  inquire,  how  have  I  spent  my  days; 
how  have  I  laid  out  my  money;  how  have  I 
employed  my  time;  how  have  I  served  God; 
and  how  repented  me  of  my  sins?  And  upon 
our  answer  to  these  questions  depends  a  happy 
or  an  unhappy  eternity. 

Blessed  indeed  are  they,  that  through  Para- 
dise pass  into  the  Kingdom,  who  from  their 
highest  hope  pass  to  the  greatest  charity,  from 
the  state  of  a  blessed  separation  to  the  mercies 
and  gentle  sentence  of  the  "Day  of  Judgment," 
which  St.  Paul  prayed  to  God  to  grant  Onesi- 
phorus,  and  more  explicitly  for  the  Thessalo- 
nians — "that  their  whole  spirit,  and  soul,  and 
body,  be  preserved  blameless  unto  the  coming 
of  our  Lord  Jesus." 

And  I  pray  God  to  grant  the  same  to  me,  and 
all  faithful  people  whatsoever. 


THE   INTEKI^rEDIATE    STATE.  349 


PEATEK. 

O  Almighty  God,  with  whom  do  live  the 
spirits  of  the  just  made  perfect;  look  upon  me 
Thy  servant,  whose  life  is  vanity,  and  whose 
days  pass  away  like  a  tale  that  is  told.  Give 
me,  O  my  God,  Thy  Spirit  of  wisdom  and  peace 
to  guide  me  in  the  ways  of  righteousness ;  that, 
being  holy  in  my  life,  I  may  be  blessed  in  my 
death ;  and  my  soul  may  be  borne  by  Thy  min- 
istering spirits  to  the  mansions  of  rest,  to  lie  in 
the  bosom  of  my  Lord,  till  by  the  trump  of  God 
I  shall  be  awakened  in  the  resurrection  of  the 
just,  through  Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord.  Amen. 
80 


EASTEE  DAY. 

THE  EESURKECTION. 

"  Now  is  Christ  risen  from  the  dead,  and  become  the  first-fruits 
of  them  that  slept."     1  Cob.  xv.  20. 

The  condition  of  man  in  this  world  is  so  lim- 
ited and  depressed,  so  relative  and  imperfect, 
that  the  best  things  he  does  he  does  weakly; 
and  the  best  things  he  hath  are  imperfections 
in  their  very  constitution.  Our  very  liberty  of 
choosing  good  and  evil  supposes  weakness  of 
reason  and  weakness  of  love ;  and  our  hope, 
though  it  is  the  resurrection  of  the  soul  in  this 
world  from  sorrow  and  her  saddest  pressures, 
and  like  the  twilight  to  the  day  and  the  harbin- 
ger of  joy ;  still  it  is  but  a  conjugation  of  infirm- 
ities, and  because  it  is  uneasy  here,  thrusts  us 
forward  towards  the  light  and  glories  of  the 
resurrection. 

For  as  death  is  the  end  of  our  lives,  so  is  the 
resurrection  the  end  of  our  hopes ;  and  as  we 
die  daily,  so  we  daily  hope. 

For  God,  knowing  that  the  biggest  endear- 
ment of  religion,  the  sanction  of  private  justice^ 


THE   KESURRECTION.  351 

the  band  of  pietj  and  holy  courage — does  wholly 
derive  from  the  article  of  the  resurrection, — was 
pleased  not  only  to  make  it  credible,  but  easy 
and  familiar  to  us ;  and  nature  alone  is  a  suffi- 
cient preacher  of  this  mystery.  Night  and  day ; 
the  sun  returning  to  the  same  point  of  east; 
every  change  of  species  in  the  same  matter ; 
generation  and  corruption ;  the  eagle  renewing 
her  youth,  and  the  snake  her  skin  ;  the  silkworm 
and  the  swallows  ;  the  care  of  posterity,  and  the 
care  of  an  immortal  name ;  winter  and  sum- 
mer; the  fall  and  spring;  the  faith  of  believ- 
ers and  the  philosophy  of  the  reasonable ; — all 
join  in  its  verification:  and  every  night  we 
so  converse  with  the  image  of  death,  that  every 
morning  we  find  an  argument  of  the  resur- 
rection. 

Sleep  and  death  have  but  one  mother,  and 
they  have  one  name  in  common.  Charnel- 
houses  are  but  "  cemeteries"  or  sleeping-places  ; 
and  they  that  die  are  fallen  asleep,  and  the  res- 
urrection is  but  an  awakening  and  standing  up 
from  sleep.  In  sleep  our  senses  are  as  fast  bound 
by  nature  as  our  joints  are  by  the  grave-clothes  ; 
and,  unless  an  angel  of  God  waken  us  every 
morning,  we  must  confess  ourselves  as  unable 
to  converse  with  men  as  we  are  now  afraid  to 
die  and  to  converse  with  spirits. 

But,  however,  death  itself  is  no  more ;  it  is 
but  a  darkness  and  a  shadow,  a  rest  and  a  for- 


352  EASTEK   DAY. 

getfulness.  What  is  there  more  in  death  ?  What 
is  there  less  in  sleep  ?  For  do  we  not  see  by 
experience  that  nothing  of  equal  loudness  does 
awaken  us  sooner  than  a  man's  voice,  especially 
if  we  be  called  by  name  ?  and  thus  also  it  shall 
be  in  the  resurrection.  Christ,  Himself,  shall 
"  descend  with  a  mighty  shout ;  and  all  that  are 
in  the  grave  shall  hear  His  voice."  We  shall 
be  awakened  by  the  voice  of  Man,  because  we 
are  only  fallen  asleep  by  the  decree  of  God ; 
and,  when  the  cock  and  the  lark  call  us  up 
to  prayer  and  labor,  the  first  thing  we  see 
is  an  argument  of  our  resurrection  from  the 
dead. 

Here,  therefore,  are  the  gi-eat  hinges  of  all 
religion.  Christ  is  already  risen  from  the  dead, 
and  we  also  shall  rise  in  God's  time  and  our 
order.  Christ  is  the  first-fruits ;  He  is  already 
risen :  for  He  alone  could  not  be  held  by  death. 
"Free  among  the  dead."  Death  was  sin's  eld- 
est daughter,  and  the  grave-clothes  were  her 
first  mantle;  but  Christ  was  Conqueror  over 
both.  And  as  His  resurrection  and  exaltation 
were  the  reward  of  His  perfect  obedience  and 
purest  holiness ;  so  now,  calling  us  to  an  imita- 
tion of  the  same  obedience  and  the  same  perfect 
holiness,  He  prepares  a  way  for  us  to  the  same 
resurrection.  But  there  is  one  thing  more  in  it 
yet:  "Everyman  in  his  own  order;  first  Christ, 
and   then  they  that  are   Christ's."     But  what 


THE   EESUKRECTION.  853 

shall  become  of  tliem  that  are  not  Christ's? 
Why,  there  is  an  order  for  them  too:  first 
they  that  are  Christ's,  and  then  they  that  are 
not  His. 

There  is  a  first  and  a  second  resurrection  even 
after  this  life.  Blessed  and  holy  is  he  that  hath 
his  part  in  "  the  first  resurrection  ;  for  upon  such 
the  second  death  shall  have  no  power."  As  for 
the  recalling  the  wicked  from  their  graves,  it  is 
no  otherwise,  in  the  sense  of  the  Spirit,  to  be 
called  a  resurrection,  than  taking  a  criminal 
from  the  prison  to  the  bar  is  a  giving  of  liberty. 
The  wicked  shall  see  Christ,  that  they  may 
"look  on  Him  whom  they  have  pierced;"  and 
they  shall  hear  the  voice  of  God  passing  on 
them  the  intolerable  sentence :  they  shall  come 
from  their  graves,  that  they  may  go  into  hell ; 
and  live  again  that  they  may  die  forever.  So 
have  we  seen  a  poor  condemned  criminal,  the 
weight  of  whose  sorrows  sitting  heavily  upon  his 
soul  hath  benumbed  him  into  a  deep  sleep,  till 
he  hath  forgotten  his  groans  and  laid  aside  his 
deep  sighings ;  but  on  a  sudden  comes  the  mes- 
senger of  death,  and  unbinds  the  po^Dpy  garland, 
scatters  the  heavy  cloud  that  encircles  his  miser- 
able head,  and  makes  him  return  to  acts  of  life, 
that  he  may  quickly  descend  into  death  and  be 
no  more.  So  is  every  sinner  that  lies  down  in 
shame,  and  makes  his  grave  with  the  wicked: 
he  shall  indeed  rise  again,  and  be  called  upon 

303 


354  EASTER  DAY. 

by  the  voice  of  the  Archangel;  but  then  he 
shall  descend  into  sorrows  greater  than  the  reason 
and  the  patience  of  a  man,  weeping  and  shriek- 
ing louder  than  the  groans  of  the  miserable 
children  in  the  Yalley  of  Hinnom.  These  in- 
deed are  sad  stories,  but  true  as  the  voice  of 
God  and  the  sermons  of  the  Holy  Jesus.  They 
are  God's  words,  and  God's  decrees ;  and  I  wish 
that  all  who  profess  belief  of  these  would  con- 
sider sadly  what  they  mean.  If  ye  believe  the 
article  of  the  resurrection,  then  you  know  that 
in  your  body  you  shall  receive  what  you  did  in 
the  body,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad.  It  mat- 
ters not  now  very  much  whether  our  bodies  be 
beauteous  or  deformed ;  for  if  w^e  glorify  God 
in  our  bodies,  God  shall  make  our  bodies  glo- 
rious. It  matters  not  much,  w^hether  we  live 
in  ease  and  pleasure,  or  eat  nothing  but  bitter 
herbs.  The  body  that  lies  in  dust  and  ashes, 
that  goes  stooping  and  feeble,  tliat  lodges  at 
the  foot  of  the  cross,  and  dwells  in  discipline, 
shall  be  feasted  at  the  eternal  supper  of  the 
Lamb. 

For  God,  when  He  restores  the  soul  to  the 
body,  will  raise  the  body  to  such  a  perfection, 
that  it  shall  be  an  organ  fit  to  praise  Him  upon. 
Then  also  shall  the  soul  be  brought  forth  by 
angels,  from  her  incomparable  and  easy  bed,  from 
her  rest  in  Christ's  holy  bosom,  and  be  made 
perfect  in  her  being,  and  in  all  her  operations. 


THE   RESURRECTION.  355 

Then  shall  she  see  already  all  the  records  of  this 
world,  all  the  register  of  her  own  memory.  For 
all  that  we  did  in  this  life  is  laid  up  in  our 
memories;  and  as  soon  as  ever  God  shall  but 
tune  our  instrument,  and  draw  the  curtains,  and 
but  light  up  the  candle  of  immortality,  there  we 
shall  Und  it  all,  there  we  «hall  see  all,  and  the 
whole  world  shall  see  all ;  then  we  shall  be  made 
fit  to  converse  with  God  after  the  manner  of 
spirits ;  we  shall  be  like  to  angels. 

"We  hope  that  from  our  beds  of  darkness  we 
shall  rise  into  regions  of  light,  and  shall  become 
like  unto  God ;  and  what  this  can  infer  is  very 
obvious.  If  it  be  hard  to  believe  a  resurrection 
from  one  death,  let  us  not  be  dead  in  trespasses 
and  sins.  Let  us  betake  ourselves  to  an  early 
and  an  entire  piety;  that  when,  by  this  first 
resurrection  we  have  made  the  way  plain  before 
our  face,  we  may  with  confidence  expect  a  happy 
resurrection  from  our  graves. 

"  K,  when  we  were  enemies,"  saith  St.  Paul, 
"  we  were  reconciled  by  His  death  ;  much  more, 
being  reconciled,  we  shall  be  saved  by  his  life;" 
plainly  declaring,  that  it  is  a  harder  and  more 
wonderful  thing  for  a  wicked  man  to  become 
the  friend  of  God,  than  for  one  that  is  so,  to 
be  carried  up  to  heaven  and  partake  of  His 
glory. 

But  he  who  partakes  of  the  death  of  Christ, 
by  mortification,  and   of  His   resurrection  by 


356  EASTER  DAT. 

holiness  of  life  and  a  holy  faith,  shall,  according 
to  the  expression  of  the  prophet  Isaiah,  "  enter 
into  his  chamber  of  death,"  when  !N^ature  and 
God's  decree  "shall  shut  the  doors  npon  him, 
and  there  he  shall  be  hidden  for  a  little  mo- 
ment," But  then  shall  they  that  dwell  in  dust 
awake  and  sing :  with  Christ's  dead  body  shall 
they  arise ;  the  servants  of  His  family ;  the  heirs 
of  His  kingdom ;  and  the  partakers  of  His  glory. 
Amen. 

PKATEE. 

O  most  Holy,  most  Glorious  Saviour  and  Ke- 
deemer,  who,  for  our  sakes,  didst  descend  from 
the  glories  of  God  to  the  labors  of  the  earth,  and 
didst  pass  from  a  painful  life  to  an  ignominious 
death,  from  the  bitterness  of  death  to  the  dark- 
ness of  the  grave,  and  by  Thy  Divine  power 
didst  raise  Thyself  from  death  to  life  again ;  I 
give  Thee  thanks  for  Thy  infinite  love  to  me 
and  to  all  mankind ;  I  acknowledge  Thee  to  be 
my  Lord,  and  confess  Thee  to  be  my  God;  I 
adore  Thy  majesty,  and  rejoice  in  Thy  mercies; 
and  I  humbly  pray  Thee  to  enable  me,  with  Thy 
Spirit,  to  believe  all  Thy  doctrines,  and  to  obey 
all  Thy  commandments ;  that  after  a  holy  and 
religious  life  sj)ent  in  doing  honor  to  Thy  Holy 
I^ame,  I  may  be   a  partaker  of  Thy  glorious 


THE   RESUKRECTION.  357 

resurrection,  passing  from  decatli  to  life,  from  the 
darknesses  of  the  grave  to  the  light  of  Heaven, 
from  an  imperfect  duty  to  the  perfection  of  holi- 
ness ;  in  the  fruition  of  the  joys  of  God,  in  Thj 
Eternal  Kingdom ;  O  most  Holy,  most  Glorious 
Saviour,  and  Kedeeiaer.     Amen. 


THE  END. 


INDJiX. 


Paqk 

Beatitude,  The  First 234 

,     The  Second 242 

,     The  Third 254 

,     The  Fourth 261 

,     The  Fifth 268 

,     The  Sixth 276 

,     The  Seventh 282 

,     TheEighth 289 

Careful  Employment  of  Time 184 

Christian  Comfort 212 

Forgiveness 157 

Joy 219 

Perfection 226 

Simplicity 114 

Christ's  Entrance  into  Jerusalem 297 

Journey  to  Jerusalem 249 

Communion,  The  Holy " 315 

Conversation 70 

Covetousness 130 

Crucifixion,  The 330 

Death 23 

Faith 191 

Garden  of  Gethsemane,  The 324 

Godly  Fear 16 

Gratitude  for  Daily  Mercies 166 


360  INDEX. 

Fagb 

Growth  in  Grace 137 

Humility 203 

of  Christ,  The 309 

Intermediate  State,  The 339 

Judgment  Day,  The 31 

Life  of  Christ  our  Example,  The 149 

Love  of  God,  The .,.. 53 

Obedience 87 

Prayer .' 61 

Repentance 7 

Resurrection,  The 350 

Reverence  for  Holy  Days,  &c 78 

Self-Denial 106 

Self-Examination 45 

Slander  and  Flattery 122 

Supper  at  Bethany,  The 302 

Temper 98 

Temptation  of  Christ,  The 41 

,     The  First 94 

,     The  Second , 145 

— ,     The  Third 199 

Watchfulness 175 


DATE  DUE 

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